


Honey and Moon

by babyblueglasses



Series: Simmer and Boil [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, Banter, Blow Jobs, Clothed Sex, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Honeymoon, M/M, Making Out, Married Couple, Morning Sex, Oral Sex, Restraints, Sex Toys, Smut, Spanking, Tentacles, Thunderstorms, sappy bastards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2018-12-17 00:48:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11840508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyblueglasses/pseuds/babyblueglasses
Summary: Loki and Tony get to have the honeymoon of their dreams in Hawaii. It's been a long time coming. All smutty and fluffy goodness.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t think it’s imperative that you read the rest of the Simmer and Boil series to get this, but I will be keeping the boys in character with the AU and all that’s happened in it. 
> 
> I realized there’s no one to stop me from having a ridiculous title, mwahaha. Enjoy! 
> 
> Tags will be updated as they arrive.

Loki’s slow steps drifted to the center of the room before stopping completely, his hand slipping from his luggage handle. 

_The suite was gorgeous._

Sweeping windows showcased heavy foliage that gave way to the ocean shining in the late afternoon sun. The main room was all hardwood floors with an airy ambiance. The bedroom window had to have been open in the adjacent room because Loki could hear the distant roll of waves. Loki closed his eyes and breathed in. 

It was gorgeous. 

His eyes fluttered open. Had their friends really all been able to chip in on this? Loki glanced towards the bedroom. Suitcase zippers were flying open. Once they’d walked in and Tony was sure that Loki liked it, he’d immediately gone to the bedroom to unpack, excited and eager. Loki started walking again, to find Tony with a suitcase on the bed. Loki stopped as he realized that the bedroom windows overlooked the ocean and led out to a balcony with a hot tub. It couldn’t have been more breathtaking and gorgeous. 

“What do you think?” Tony asked. “Did you see the minibar when you were looking around?” 

Loki’s lips parted. He didn’t want to ask, but if he didn’t, it wouldn’t stop bugging him. “Our friends couldn’t have—”

“—Natasha has connections,” Tony cut him off. “She’s had this booked for months. And they _did_ pay for this and got some sort of friends and family deal from her friend, so don’t. Yeah.” 

Loki glanced down at the bed, just now picking up on Tony’s annoyed tone. “What’s wrong?” 

Tony held up a plastic bag. “This. Look at it!” 

Loki’s gaze drifted from his husband’s pissed face to the vibrator resting peacefully at the bottom of a ziplock bag. He recognized it, of course, but it took him a moment to notice that the paper Tony was also holding was an inspection notice. “This was taped to the bag! What boring prick needed us to know that he opened the bag—”

“Tony,” Loki soothed, coming around to the side of the bed. 

“I mean, this can’t be the first one they’ve ever seen and they had to make a point out of it. How fucking stupid. What a dick. That’s it. This is the last time I’m flying commercial—” Loki wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, tucking his face into Tony’s neck. “Lo,” Tony said, one arm coming around to catch him. 

Loki kissed his neck, then pulled back, resting his head on Tony’s chest. He had to bend awkwardly to do it, but he made it work. “What else did you bring?” He asked, curious. 

“Just, this and a couple plugs,” Tony said, calmer. “I was going to put more, but then I started getting images of it getting out or something and having a PR nightmare.” Loki hugged Tony tighter, trying to draw him out of it. “Which was a good idea, since some asshole decided to go through our stuff—”

“Some people are boring,” Loki said, kissing Tony’s neck. He grabbed Tony’s chin, tilting Tony’s jaw towards his lips. “The asshole was probably jealous that someone else was going to have a good time.” 

Tony’s soft brown eyes set on Loki, losing some of their uneasy anger. Loki smiled comfortingly at him. “I want to see the swim up bar on the roof that you were talking about.” The tension began slipping from Tony. He started to nod when something distracted him. “What?” Loki asked as Tony dug around in the bag. 

“I also packed a couple of these,” Tony said, holding up a simple silicone cock ring. “I guess this wasn’t as interesting since it doesn’t have an inspection tag taped to it.” 

“It probably looked like a hair tie,” Loki said, gripping Tony’s waist. He wanted to pull Tony away from the upset and get him back into the mood from the plane. “Did you remember to pack my swimsuit?” 

“Yeah,” Tony said. 

Loki kissed his cheek. “Good.” 

Tony held him tighter, almost as if he was seeking comfort from the incident. Loki thought it was shitty, but he also didn’t care enough to get riled up over it. If anything, he was pissed at how it’d taken Tony out of a good mood, and he was way more focused on getting Tony in a better one. “Let’s go now,” Loki said. 

“Now?” Tony glanced around the room, his breath drifting against Loki’s neck. 

“We can unpack later,” Loki told him. “There’re piña coladas with our names on them.”

“Is that a reference to that song?” Tony asked. “Are we both planning an affair and going to patch it up over a shared love of coconut and rum flavored ice?” 

“Do you want to meet up there and pretend it’s a surprise?” Loki asked. 

“No,” Tony answered instantly. Loki held him a little tighter, vaguely concerned at how fast the answer was. 

He kissed Tony’s cheek, playfully ruffling his hair. “Let’s go forget about stupid baggage checks and get buzzed on overpriced ice.” 

Tony let out a sigh, then stood a little taller. He reached for their suitcase. “Check it out,” Tony said, holding up a new pair of swim trunks. They were bright red with thick, metallic gold stripes down the sides. 

Loki stifled a laugh because he could tell Tony genuinely felt proud of the gaudy things. “Very sexy,” he praised, hoping the light in his eyes was mistaken for lust. 

Tony smiled at him, a little less freely than Loki would’ve liked, but it was promising. Tony would be out of the funk once they got in the pool. “And,” Tony said, “I got you one.” He fished out a thin black speedo. It left zero to the imagination. 

Loki’s face dropped into a deadpan stare. 

“For the hot tub,” Tony smiled placatingly. “Okay, sugar muffin?” Tony jumped as Loki’s fingers came to pinch him lightning fast. Loki grazed him as Tony dove around the side of the bed for protection. He gave Loki a look, pointedly ignoring Loki’s menacing stare, before digging back into the bag. “And I brought your regular ones from home.” 

Relief poured through Loki. He didn’t care that Tony bought the speedo, since it was clearly for Tony’s own benefit. Besides, if Tony was giving him the opportunity, Loki wanted to spoil him. But when it came to the swim trunks, he did have perfectly good pair already. “Thank god,” he said, snatching them out of Tony’s hands. “I thought you were going to give me a pair with toucans printed on them or something.” 

“I thought about it,” Tony said wistfully. Loki reached to swat at his ass and missed, Tony sticking his tongue out. Tony unzipped his pants, dropping them to the floor without any fanfare. “I want a mai tai,” he said, changing into his swim trunks. 

Loki pulled his shirt off over his head, privately wondering how touristy the bar selections would be. 

 

They didn’t get back to their room until past ten. As it turned out the food was exceptional, and when Loki said so, Tony gave him the sassiest _do you really think I didn’t think about that when I was choosing a place, Lo_ that Loki had ever heard. They had done some honest to god swimming, rough housing like kids to the degree that if a lifeguard had been on duty, they would’ve been whistled out of the pool. Eventually they’d lounged around in the water. They did some snarky people watching, sipping the piña coladas they’d made fun of until it got late and they decided to head back.

Tony stretched as he started towards the bedroom. “I think the day is catching up with me,” he admitted. Tony started to dig through the unpacked suitcase. Loki made no move to inspect his abandoned carryon luggage. He stared out at the balcony, listening to the gentle rocking of the waves breaking on the beach and piecing together a constellation from the stars in the dark sky. 

“Want to go break in the hot tub?” 

Loki looked back over his shoulder.

Tony smiled at him knowingly. Loki realized that Tony thought he’d been staring hopefully at the hot tub. Loki didn’t correct him. “I’m not wearing that thong of a speedo tonight, if that’s what you're hoping for,” Loki said. 

“Tomorrow night?” Tony asked, hopeful as ever. 

“If you’re good,” Loki promised. 

“I always am,” Tony said, leaving the suitcase to wrap his arm around Loki’s waist. Loki slid the door to the balcony open. The warm night air was so comforting and serene that Loki feared he’d fall asleep right then. He let Tony figure out how to turn the hot tub on, and instead stared up at the stars with wonder. They were so much more visible here than back home. 

“What’re you looking at?” Tony asked behind him. The hot tub sloshed as he got inside. 

“Constellations,” Loki said, before following in after him. “It’s really—clear out here.” 

The water was warmer than he expected, and Tony’d put the jets on. Loki let the water rise up to his collar bones. 

“Jane’s actually been out to the observatory,” Tony said. “She said we could check it out.” Tony’s voice bubbled away above the jets. “If we get to the aquarium before noon tomorrow, we’ll probably have enough time to explore in the afternoon and have an early dinner before we go see the manta rays.” Tony’d booked the manta rays on the plane ride there. He was also thrilled about the aquarium, though Loki wasn’t really sure why. “Then we can decide what we want to do the day after that.” 

They’d already talked about this up at the pool. Loki glided forward in the water, landing beside Tony, their legs tangling. “I’m sure we’ll get a chance to see everything we want,” Loki assured him. Tony smiled at him, coming out of CEO planning mode now that Loki was closer. Loki’s hand curled around the back of Tony’s neck, his thumb stroking along the firm muscle in Tony’s neck. 

Tony caught his waist. “Is this the honey part of the honeymoon?” 

Loki huffed out what barely passed for a laugh, rolling his eyes. “I was hoping for some sloppy making out before I fall asleep, which I don’t think even begins to qualify as honeymoon sex—”

“—No,” Tony leapt in, “but it’s getting late here which means it’s way late back home.” There was something firm and gentle in Tony’s expression, as if it was very important to reassure Loki after his frank answer. “And we’re both used to waking up at the ass crack of dawn, so we probably will wake up way early here.” 

“We’re both very good at sleeping in,” Loki reminded him. 

Tony hummed skeptically. “You always manage to be up before me, making breakfast.” 

Loki widened his eyes as he teased Tony. “Or maybe you just pretend to be asleep so you don't have to help!” 

“Hey!” Tony said, seriously offended. Loki laughed, his thumb stroking Tony’s neck again. He kissed the side of Tony’s face as he started to pout. 

“We can go out to the weird donuts place you were eyeing for breakfast,” Loki said. 

“Really?” 

Loki gave him a look to let him know how ridiculous he was being. “Do you want me to make breakfast for you?” 

“It technically has a kitchen,” Tony said, being a little shit. 

Loki huffed, biting back demeaning remarks about the dusty cookware in the cabinets. The only thing remarkable about it was that no one had bothered to steal it from the room. “I thought we were going to have some sloppy making out before we went to sleep?” Loki asked loftily, raising an eyebrow. 

Tony didn’t dignify that with a response. He just planted his lips on Loki’s, and as it sent a warm flush down Loki’s spine along with a wave of lightheadedness, he realized he’d been craving this all day. Tony fisted one hand in his hair, as unsurprising as hell but far more appreciated. Loki breathed out as a warm tongue traced his bottom lip. 

Loki draped his arms around Tony’s shoulders. The warmth of the flowing water and the overwhelming contentment he felt as Tony’s lips pressed to his was heavenly. He couldn’t even pick up the pace, as much as he wanted to. The present was just too good. 

He fucking loved Tony. And this trip, and Tony’s happiness—Loki moaned, pressing his wet torso against Tony’s. The grip in his hair tightened. Tony’s kiss stayed tender, but it was more than enough. 

When Tony pulled back to catch his breath, the warm night air around them did nothing to provide relief. “Maybe I should turn the temperature down in this thing,” Tony muttered. He was flushed, more than expected. 

“I really am going to fall asleep,” Loki breathed out, the confession so quick that he didn’t have time to be embarrassed by it. Tony chuckled, holding him tighter. 

“Me too.” 

Loki smiled at him, a strange and rare twist of shy embarrassment. “Is tomorrow okay?”

Tony’s returning smile was enough to relax Loki. “It’s our honeymoon. We can do whatever we want.” He kissed Loki’s cheek. “It’s not like someone’s desperate to pop their cherry.” 

Loki laughed. “That opportunity left years ago.” 

Tony kissed his lips for a brief moment before moving to get out of the water. “Do you think I should set an alarm for tomorrow?” 

“Probably,” Loki said, holding a hand to his mouth as he started to yawn. It was a good call to be getting out of the hot tub. They’d had a long day and he was fucking wiped out. Tony was too, by the look of it. 

They dumped the suitcase on the floor and crawled into bed naked, their suits left outside to dry. And as funny as it was to be content going innocently to bed like this on the first night of their honeymoon, it was perfect. Loki couldn’t have felt happier as he fell asleep, Tony’s arm curled around his waist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t you worry, there is plenty of wonderful smut on the way (˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈ )  
> Like Tony, I’m way excited for the aquarium trip!  
> If there’re smutty requests for what you’d like to see, I’d love some prompts thrown my way! If I think it’d fit in and I’d be decent at writing it I’ll give it a go. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Tony rolled over in bed. He didn’t have to recall where he was. He’d woken up once or twice in the night, remembered, and then struggled to fall back asleep out of sheer excitement. 

There was light in the room now though, which meant it was okay to wake up. 

Tony rolled over in the other direction. 

He already had a suspicion of what he’d see, but his heart still did a little flip when he saw Loki, passed out asleep. Sure, he saw Loki like this at home all the time, but there was something different about it being on their _honeymoon_. 

Tony shuffled closer to him in the bed. Loki’s lips were cracked open, and yeah, there might’ve been a little drool on his pillow, but somehow that managed to be endearing.

He watched Loki’s chest ride and fall, knowing the long, slow breaths meant Loki was in one of those deep sleeps. Tony peeked at the window. He could see the sun in the sky, so yeah, definitely waking up time. 

Tony shuffled a little bit closer, close enough that he could feel Loki’s breath on his skin. Fuck, Loki was gorgeous. Even with bedhead and a conked out expression, Tony fucking loved him. 

He pressed his lips to Loki’s cheek, the brattiness he’d felt instantly giving way to honest affection. Loki didn’t stir, so Tony tried his nose. And his forehead and his cheek again— “Tony,” Loki grumbled, absolutely petulant. 

Tony took it as his cue to crawl over Loki, kissing his cheek again. “Tony,” Loki whined, curling one hand up beside his face and rubbing at the sleep in his eye. 

“Rise and shine, buttercup.” 

Loki squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head and trying to roll onto his side in vain. Tony chuckled. Loki’s eyes blinked open, angry. “Time to get up,” Tony said with the cheer of a man that’d already had his second cup of coffee, even though that wasn’t the case. He pecked his lips against Loki’s forehead. 

“What time is it?” Loki asked, voice hoarse with sleep. 

Tony glanced over at the nightstand, then had to crawl off of Loki to look. “Seven o’clock,” Tony announced. 

Loki’s exasperated groan did nothing to deter Tony. “Which is like, way late our time, you totally got to sleep in,” Tony told him. If they got going now, they’d make great time on the aquarium. 

Loki’s slender arms fell flat against the bed sheets, trapping white fabric taut over his torso. His faded green eyes stared up at Tony as Tony knelt over him. “You just want me to get up so we can go to that donut place.” 

A smile started creeping along Tony’s lips, making him seem completely guilty, but he couldn’t help it. He was trying not to get enamored with how ridiculously precious Loki looked with his bed head and grumpy morning stare. If Loki heard Tony call him precious, he’d spend the whole week convincing Tony that he very much was not. 

“Nah Lo,” Tony said. He bent down, kissing Loki’s forehead, tender this time. He let his lips linger, mind drifting from getting to the aquarium to right now. 

Lazy morning sex with Loki was one of his favorite things, and this was a great morning for it. He couldn’t remember the last time they’d had it, actually, with the stress from the wedding and being busy and getting ready for the trip and everything. 

Tony sat up, staring down at Loki without a word. Loki’s gaze had settled on him, still a little fussy and petulant, but steady. 

It was their honeymoon, so all of the sex was supposed to be insane, right? Was lazy morning sex good enough for the first round? Special enough? 

Loki’s hand set on his knee. “What’re you thinking about?” 

A sigh escaped Tony’s lips. He set his hand on Loki’s hip, the sheet separating them. “How I wanna have sex with you right now but it’s our honeymoon, so, you know…” 

The look on Loki’s face turned downright lecherous. “So we should be having sex right now?” He guessed.

Well that answered that.

Tony smiled, glancing away. 

“Are we out of lube?” Loki asked in a voice that implied that he never would’ve forgotten to pack such a thing. 

“No,” Tony said, scoffing. “Are you bottoming?” He started to ask. Loki’s eyes slipped down a fraction, and Tony wasn’t sure if it was because he was being sassy or because he was falling asleep again. “Hey, are you falling back asleep on me right now? I can’t tell.” 

“Depends,” Loki answered, fighting off a yawn. “Are you offering sex or not?” 

“Yeah,” Tony said. Loki smirked. “Wait. What if I’m not?” 

“Then I’m going back to bed,” Loki announced, rolling onto his side. 

“Hey,” Tony complained, pulling the covers off of him. Loki yanked them back, getting caught in a tug of war that Tony won. Tony latched onto Loki, kissing him in the most annoying way he could manage. 

Loki’s hand grasped his hair, trying to pull him back. It didn’t work. Tony just made it worse, sticking his tongue in Loki’s ear so his husband arched away from him, groaning in disgust. “Go get the lube,” Loki reprimanded him, a laugh lurking in his voice. 

Tony slid off the bed. He dug around in their suitcase until he found the bottle he was looking for. Loki sighed loudly when he turned back towards the bed. “What?” 

“Just appreciating the view,” Loki informed him. 

“Were you?” Tony grinned, kneeling down over him. 

Loki combed his fingers through Tony’s hair, smiling. Tony kissed him, letting out a groan as Loki’s fingernails ran along his scalp. “Fuck, I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Loki breathed back. He smiled at Tony, eyes softer and brighter than Tony was used to seeing. Loki held his gaze for a moment, letting Tony feel the affection that was pouring off of him. Then he reached over to Tony’s side of the bed and snagged a pillow. “It’s sappy bastard time already, isn’t it,” he teased. 

“I think so,” Tony said, moving to give Loki room so that he could ease the pillow beneath his hips. “Hey, one of us should put a rose in our mouths.” 

“You can do that since you thought of it,” Loki answered. 

“Never mind then,” Tony said quickly, cracking open the lube bottle. He bent down, lips at Loki’s chest as his slicked finger traced the outline of his entrance, heat radiating from it. Loki dropped his head against the pillow, eyes falling shut. 

Tony took his time, coaxing Loki and stopping occasionally to run his slicked hand down the length of himself, lost in it. Loki’s fingers kept combing his hair, soft praises falling from his lips. Tony kept at it until the ache became too much to bear. He slid in with slow ease, Loki’s legs immediately wrapping around him and holding him closer.

“Tony,” Loki muttered, tucking his face in Tony’s neck. 

Tony went slow, hips stuttering as Loki’s hard length brushed against his stomach, slicking it. Loki’s fingers cupped the back of his head, pulling him in closer. “Tony please,” Loki murmured, voice soft, almost sleepy again. 

“Please what, hmm?” Tony whispered back. The weight of Loki’s legs around him and the heat of Loki in front of him and around him were dizzying in how good they felt. Tony stuttered at the next thrust, burying himself deep and breathing in Loki’s scent. He stayed still, like he could lose himself in it.

“You feel so good Tony,” Loki breathed beside his ear. Tony preened at how Loki said his name with adoration. “Let’s stay in bed all day.” 

“Then when would we see the manta rays, huh?” Tony kissed his cheek, Loki’s arms wrapping around him as Loki smiled, turning his head to the side. “I don’t know why I bothered to pack anything,” Tony muttered, lips trailing down Loki’s neck. “All we need is lube.” 

Loki let out a heavy breath, his weight sinking down towards the bed instead of stretching up towards Tony. “Do I have clothes I can wear in public in there?” 

“You know you do, smartass.” Tony thrust in hard to make his point, a groan startling from Loki at the reminder that Tony was still inside of him. Loki’s hips writhed for a moment, his grip becoming more insistent. Tony stroked a hand down the side of his face. “Don’t make me smack your ass.” 

Loki’s eyes fluttered open, a slow smirk tugging up his lip. “Are we going to be doing that?” His ankles pulled Tony’s hips in. “Do I tempt you, Tony?” 

Tony breathed out, bending down and nipping at Loki’s neck to hide how aroused that mischievous remark made him. He rolled his hips, Loki’s moan flooding his ears. “We’re going to be doing a lot,” Tony muttered. Loki laughed, shaking against Tony. “That wasn’t a play on words,” Tony said. 

Loki’s eyes were bright and fond when Tony glanced down at him. “Tell me what you’re going to do to me Tony,” he purred. 

“You’re trying to goad me into going faster,” Tony thought aloud. So much for lazy sex. 

“Is it working?” 

Tony grinned. He really was going to smack Loki’s ass at some point on this trip. 

“Tell me,” Loki said, clenching around Tony in a way that made him buck forward involuntarily. 

“Ah—uhm—well I’m going to smack your ass for starters,” Tony said, killing the suspense on that. He drew out of Loki only to slowly slide back in, Loki’s fingers clutching at his skin. “Maybe while you beg me to fuck you instead.” 

“You’d like that,” Loki answered distantly, so much more compliant now that Tony was moving again. 

“We’re definitely having sex out on the balcony,” Tony said. He felt a thin line of perspiration on his neck. 

Loki’s eyes had fallen shut, contentment written across his face. There was the lazy morning sex Loki that Tony loved. Loki was utterly pliant in his contentment, happy to let Tony set the pace however he wanted. As long as he moved. “See if I can get you to blow me,” Tony blurted out, adjusting the angle to get a grunt out of his husband. 

“You don’t have to ask for that,” Loki mumbled. “I will.” 

Tony slid in with one slick push, completely forgetting his list. Loki shifted beneath him, his toes curling against Tony’s back. “Tony,” he muttered, rocking his hips. 

“I—” Tony gasped in. “Definitely have—some pla—ns.” He was getting close, but he didn’t want to be. He wanted to drag this out because watching how damn much Loki enjoyed this and seeing the pleasure on his face with his guard down was an immense turn on. 

“I can be creative,” Loki said, distracted. His back was arched, his legs shaking against Tony, even as his head was dropped back and limp against the pillow. Tony reached between them, curling his hand around Loki’s swollen length. Loki cried out, his shout expressive and louder than expected. Tony toyed his thumb at the slit, Loki shuddering as sweat rolled down Tony’s back. “To—Tony,” Loki said, too needy to be a demand. 

Tony was so close, he was holding his breath and straining in his effort. Loki’s searing heat around him and every slight movement threatened to tip the balance. 

Tony was on the edge of saying something witty when Loki clenched around him, the tight heat wiping the thought as his mind went blank in orgasm. When Tony blinked his eyes open again, Loki was breathing softly beneath him and the warm slick of come was trailing down Tony’s stomach. 

“Donuts?” Tony asked. 

Loki breathed out a laugh, his legs slipping from around Tony. “Yes,” Loki said, leaning up to kiss him. Tony kissed him back ardently, adoring the way Loki’s fingers trailed down his spine as he did. “Then the aquarium,” Loki assured him, smiling with more lightheartedness than Tony’d seen in a while. 

 

Loki reached behind his seat for the box of donuts, snagging one from the dozen that Tony insisted on getting after they’d had breakfast at the shop. He figured they’d appreciate them later. It was subtle, but there was some sort of smug amusement on Loki’s face as he ate. “What?” Tony asked, amusement in his own voice.

Loki brushed a thumb against the chocolate crumb on his lip. “Oh,” he said. “It’s just that I get something out of eating inside of a car that costs a thousand fucking dollars a day to rent.” Tony frowned. Loki had let him get the rental Lamborghini for the day with nothing but a prim _you’re paying for it then_ , which had astounded Tony. “You hate food in your own sports cars.” 

“I eat in them sometimes,” Tony said. Mostly burgers from drive-ins, but he did sometimes. 

“Yes, the rule is mysteriously flexible for you,” Loki said. For a moment Tony wondered if Loki was truly complaining, but when he glanced over, Loki seemed too smug and happy to have really cared about it. 

“Hey Lo,” Tony said. “Look at the door.” 

Loki titled his head, considering it. “What?” 

“Notice anything?” 

“…No.” 

“There’s no soda gluing the hinges together over there,” Tony said, fighting back a laugh. Loki’s hand shot out lighting fast, swatting at his thigh as Tony’s laughter broke free. 

“Or duct tape,” Loki quickly added, like he wanted to get it in before Tony said it. 

“Yeah and the sun visor isn’t going to fall out of the roof while I’m driving,” Tony gloated. 

Loki crossed his arms, donut finished. “That happened one time.” 

“It’s happened like twelve times. Every time I drive your car it’s like it’s out to get me.” 

Loki let out a petulant sigh, staring out the window. “You poor, poor thing, you.” 

Tony came to a halt on the dusty road as a chicken meandered in the middle. “Dammnit,” Tony muttered. Loki started to snigger. “Yeah, that’s real cute,” Tony said. “This is the third one.” It was even wearing a reflective vest, like its owner knew it was a pain in the ass. 

“Maybe we should adopt some back home,” Loki mused as Tony shook his head. 

 

It was a school day, so the aquarium wasn’t too crowded. Loki had quieted as they started looking into the tanks, viewing them with the same sort of peaceful expression he had when they went walking in the woods together. Voices of younger children out with their parents echoed in the distance. Aside from the bright tanks, the aquarium was dimly lit inside. 

Tony pointed to a blue tang as it zipped past them. “This kind of makes me want to get an aquarium for the office.” 

“Azalea would like that.” Loki leaned in closer to him, studying a seahorse with its tail curled around some grassy reeds. 

“The filtration on this thing is awesome.” 

Loki grinned at him. “Only you, Tony.” 

Tony grabbed his hand, pleased at the light squeeze he got back. “Are you telling me you haven’t looked at the fish in here and thought once or twice about cooking them?” 

Loki’s grin turned guilty but not ashamed. “I have to admit that the thought has occurred.” His thumb rubbed a small circle over Tony’s wrist. “And think of how inexpensive it would be to simply lift one from their tanks,” Loki said. “Would you care for a little heist today?” 

“I don’t want to spend the second night of our honeymoon calling Bruce for bail money,” Tony answered. 

Loki hummed, shrugging. They drifted quietly together through the jellyfish exhibit and into a room with several individual tanks. Tony spotted it way before Loki. He practically dragged him over to it. 

An orangish red octopus unfurled its tentacles, floating up to the glass. One of its long arms stretched out, its suction cups sticking to the side. Loki didn’t react, so Tony knew he wasn’t anticipating anything being said. Tony was so excited to say it he was almost laughing right there. “What do you think, Lo? Do you _feel_ anything?” 

Loki stilled. Tony took it as his signal to prod a little further. “Do its tentacles—” Loki elbowed him in the side. 

“Tony,” he hissed, voice a low whisper. “There are children here!” 

“They’re way over there,” Tony said in his regular voice. “And besides, they don’t know—”

“—They’ll notice if you’re acting weird about it,” Loki whispered. “And no. No I do not.” Loki walked away to the next tank. 

Tony snuck up next to him. “Are you mad at me?” He whispered. 

Loki rolled his eyes, smiling to himself. “No,” he said in a normal tone. 

“What’s funny?” Tony asked. 

“You,” Loki said. He stared at Tony, as if that was making a point. “You can ask me if I’m mad in a whisper, but when it comes to the octopus, oh no, you couldn’t possibly keep your voice down.” 

“Are you mad because there were kids in a five hundred foot vicinity, _or_ are you using that to cover up a secret fetish—”

“—I’m not mad,” Loki cut him off, trying to drown out Tony’s last word. It was Tony’s turn to stare. “I’m not!” There was a faint pinkish blush on his cheeks, and Tony couldn’t tell if it was because he was mad or because Tony was on to something. “Tony,” Loki said, turning his name into a sigh. “You’re being ridiculous.” 

“Go back and look at it and tell me that you don’t at least feel _something_.” 

Loki pouted his lips, holding Tony’s stare stubbornly before he took a flashy step back towards the tank. He leaned in close to the glass. “The only thing I _feel_ is a desire to know what it would taste like diced into takoyaki.” 

“Loki,” Tony scolded. “It can hear you. You’re gonna hurt its feelings.” Loki stepped back, and Tony realized as he did that Loki’s eyes had been focused on a point slightly above the octopus. “Do you want to explain to the kids how you were planning to _slice him up and eat him_?” Tony finished in a whisper. 

Loki’s mouth flopped open for a moment before he noticed a father and his tiny daughter approaching in actual earshot. He pulled Tony away, pretending to be incredibly engrossed in the local fish exhibit until Tony brought up a neutral topic. 

 

They’d both relaxed by the time they reached the gift store exit. Tony was already thinking about the manta rays that night when a thought occurred. “I’m going to see if they have any obnoxious keychains,” Tony said. “I like to give them to Happy as a gift when I travel.” 

Loki paused, his gaze drifting over the store. “I should probably get something for Azalea,” he said. 

“I bet she’d like one of those stuffed animals,” Tony said, nodding towards the far wall. Loki seemed to agree, and he didn’t get suspicious when Tony turned to the keychain stand. As soon as his back was to Tony, Tony made a beeline for the books. 

He dug through the stack along the shelf, but he had no luck. There wasn’t a sticker book. Disappointed, Tony started to explore the shop. There were shirts and figurines and mugs. Tony was just about to go back over and bother Loki when he spotted a large manta ray sticker in the middle of a bumper sticker rack. 

Loki’s back was still to him at the stuffed animal wall. Tony quickly purchased the sticker, along with a turtle keychain for Happy. 

Then Tony innocently meandered through the various ocean themed knickknacks until Loki came over, carrying a plastic bag with the aquarium logo. “Are you ready to go?” Loki asked. 

“Yeah,” Tony said. “What’d you get?” 

“I’ll show you in the car,” Loki said, starting for the doors. 

 

Tony hadn’t expected anything when they got inside the car. Loki pulled a stuffed whale out of the plastic bag. “It’s cute,” Tony said. “She’ll like it.” Loki nodded, then dug in to the bottom of the bag. 

He withdrew a small black box and handed it to Tony. “It’s for you.” 

Tony’s heart started to pound. It was silly, but Loki was so not a gift person. They just didn’t do gifts. He wasn’t sure what to expect. Tony cracked open the lid. 

It was a shark’s tooth necklace. 

“I know it’s not your usual style,” Loki said. “But I thought you’d like it.” 

Tony fucking loved it. 

Not because of what it was. 

But because Loki had gotten him it. Immediately, Tony put it on. 

“Here,” Tony said. “I got you something too.” He handed over the sticker, which felt so silly in comparison until he saw the tender way Loki looked at it, genuine delight lighting up his eyes. 

“Thank you,” he said, taking out his phone. 

Loki peeled the sticker from the clear backing and delicately laid it down on the back of his phone case. “I love it.” 

He smoothed his fingers over the sticker. It was a new phone. Finally. Loki had splintered the screen on his old one beyond repair and finally it had crapped out and stopped sending calls. For three days, Tony had, in silence, watched Loki fuss over it when he thought Tony wasn’t paying attention, waiting for the moment Loki would break down and ask for help. 

When he did, Tony had been in the lab. He’d opened a drawer and handed Loki a new phone without any comment. 

He told Loki it was a demo that cost nothing, but really it was too customized to be bought anywhere. He’d put Jarvis into it, which was kind of nice. Tony felt a smile creeping onto his lips as he watched Loki trace his finger over the sticker.

Tony laughed suddenly. “Wow,” he said. “We really are—”

“—honeymooning?” Loki guessed. He stole a kiss. “I’m sure we’ll make up for it when we’re back home.” 

“I have no problem with that,” Tony said, thinking that Loki was right. “You want to go get something to eat before we go out to see the manta rays?” 

“Yeah,” Loki said. “I already know where we should go.” 

 

Tony was pretty good about the boat, even if it challenged the delicious food he’d scarfed down for dinner. He wasn’t really expecting much. Maybe a cool look at a manta ray as it binged on plankton, but then it’d probably get old. Loki would like it though. The wind whipped through his hair as they raced out onto the open ocean. 

Loki leaned in next to him, strands from his bun tugged loose by the wind. “Manta rays have the biggest brain of all fish,” he informed Tony. 

Tony didn’t know how to respond for a moment. He wasn’t sure why Loki was telling him facts suddenly. “Why’re they fish?” 

“Because they breathe with gills,” Loki said. “There’re 32,000 species of fish,” he added. 

“Was that in your marine biology book?” Tony asked. He didn’t mean to, but it came out sort of condescendingly. Loki leaned against the railing and answered, slightly quieter. 

“I read it on my phone while you were getting dressed.” 

Suddenly, Tony had a flashback to the photo of the small boy holding a shoebox diorama in Loki’s bedroom. That kid had shown up again, and Tony was scaring him off. Loki always asked him questions down in the lab, even if he didn’t understand everything that Tony was working with. Tony could do the same. “What else did you read?” Tony asked. 

Loki turned his head from the night sky, looking at him. He thought for a moment. “They can weigh 3,000 pounds and they live up to fifty years, maybe more. They’re hard to research since they don’t live well in captivity.” 

“That’s surprising,” Tony said honestly. 

Loki scratched at his neck, over his black wetsuit. “We’re lucky to be seeing them. They don’t reproduce quickly and there’re a lot of threats from people…” His voice trailed off as he looked away. “Like everything else in the ocean.” It was a sour note that Tony was determined to turn around. 

“Hey,” Tony said. “Maybe we’ll see some babies. Or the fish things that get stuck to them,” Tony said, gesturing to his chest. That got a smile out his husband. 

“They have one baby every about every five years, but maybe we’ll get lucky,” Loki answered. “Maybe we’ll see the _fish things_.” 

“Good. I signed us up for fish things,” Tony said, leaning back against the rail. “I hope we get to see a few.” There was a possibility they wouldn’t show up at all, and Tony really didn’t want that to happen. 

“I’m sure they will,” Loki said with more confidence than Tony felt. 

 

Tony was clinging to the floating board a little harder than he had to, staring down at the ocean below him through his snorkeling gear. Despite having diving experience years ago, breathing through the snorkel was uncomfortable. Tony wanted to get out. 

But he also wanted to see the manta rays, and every time he glanced over and saw Loki he felt a little more sure about the whole thing.

It was just that the ocean was fucking huge. 

It was just this vast, open abyss, and he was so small—Loki’s hand accidentally bumped against his. Well, Tony thought it was an accident, but then he saw it. 

Gliding towards them, a ghostly white form appeared in the distance. It was graceful as it approached the lights they were shining down in the water, hundreds of silvery fish spiraling below them. When all twelve feet of the thing got there though, Tony completely forgot his anxieties. It was difficult to describe, but it was _incredible_. Surreal. 

The ray glided inches from them, its massive form somersaulting with ease and gliding into a larger arc. Tony didn’t even notice the second one’s approach until it was right there. 

And suddenly there were more, twirling through the lights, the currents of their movement through the water rocking his body in the motion. 

He lost track of time, mesmerized by the manta rays as they swam by. They reminded him of flying saucers. It was fitting with how otherworldly it felt. When one passed, he was eagerly waiting for the next, unwilling for it to end. 

 

Tony was beaming when they got on the boat. “That was amazing!” He gushed at Loki, who was just as bright faced and enamored as he was. 

“Can you believe how close they got? One brushed up against me!” 

“They were five thousand pounds of awesome,” Tony said, wrapping his arms around himself in the cold air. “I was impressed, Lo.” 

Loki took a towel from one of the seats and handed it to him. “Tony, that was amazing. I’m so glad we did it.” All around them the other tourists were talking about what they’d seen, but Tony barely paid them any attention. He wrapped the towel around his shoulders, ignoring the chill. 

“Me too,” Tony said. “Seriously, I think that’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been all over Vegas.” 

Loki didn’t even bother to roll his eyes at that. He just smiled, delighted and happy, and fuck if Tony couldn’t get enough of that. “I’m glad we didn’t see them when I was a kid,” he said. “I don’t think we would’ve ever done this ourselves otherwise.” 

“You’re probably right,” Tony said, drying his hair with the towel. Loki leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek out of sheer affection. Tony didn’t even have a smart quip to make about it. He just smiled, rubbing the towel against his hair.


	3. Chapter 3

Loki woke to the crack of thunder. Heavy rain pelted the windows like drums, lightning slipping past the gaps in the curtains and flashing into the room at odd angles. A roll of thunder sounded directly overhead. Loki stretched, tugging his pillow in closer to his face. This was exactly the kind of thunderstorm that Thor would’ve pulled him out onto the front porch to watch when he was a kid.

Loki started to drift off again. Another clap of thunder sounded. Loki rolled onto his side, halfway asleep. With the movement he’d managed to be closer to Tony’s half of the bed, and the warm heat on the mattress from Tony was lulling him right back to sleep. Loki was drifting when there was another crash of thunder and the bed beside him shook with a flinch. 

Loki pried his eyes open to see if Tony was awake. 

Tony was staring at the ceiling, one hand clenched around the blankets. 

Loki rolled in the rest of the way, landing against Tony’s side. His whole body was stiff. Loki dropped his arm on Tony’s chest, hoping to convey a sense of comfort. He started drifting off into that halfway spot, awake enough as he waited for Tony to relax, but sleepy enough that he wasn’t completely alert. 

The rain got louder against the window panes. There were several successive crashes of thunder. Tony flinched with each one. “Tony,” Loki muttered. Tony’s eyes darted to him, surprised to see him awake. He smiled at Loki, the motion lifeless and forced. “Go to sleep.” Loki buried his nose in Tony’s neck.

“Do you think it’s a typhoon?” Tony asked in that tight, hurried way his voice got when his anxiety was bad. “It’s really loud—”

“—It’s not,” Loki assured him. He swung a leg over Tony’s, one arm around his chest. “If it were, there’d be sirens,” Loki said in a soft whisper beside his ear. “They’d follow the procedure and the emergency lights would be flashing right now.” Some of the tension in Tony’s clenched muscles dropped. 

“Really?” 

Loki had no fucking clue. “I read it in the hotel guide when I was looking for a carryout menu,” Loki said. Tony started to relax a little of the tension in his muscles. 

Then there was a softer clap of thunder overhead. Loki felt Tony jump, and he knew how much Tony fucking hated the way he got in storms. 

So much for falling back asleep. But this was a new environment, and as much as it irritated Loki to be awake, Tony needed him. He sat up. “What’re you doing?” Tony asked. Loki’s hand accidentally landed with too much force near Tony’s side as he fumbled in the bed. “Loki—” He started as his husband crawled over him. 

“Finding the remote,” Loki answered. He blindly felt around on the nightstand. 

“Why?” Tony’s question was drowned out by another roll of thunder. 

Loki sat back on the bed with the remote in hand. The dull light of the TV blinded them, forcing them to squint and blink as they waited for their eyes to adjust. Immediately, the storm outside felt smaller. Or at least, it did to Loki, so he hoped it would for Tony too. “What kind of local programming do you think is on at three in the morning?” 

The question seemed to throw Tony for a loop, but it gave him something to focus on the way Loki had hoped it would. “Probably infomercials and reruns of forty year old sitcoms.” Loki propped a pillow up against the headboard, leaning back against it. “Maybe some porn,” Tony said, not sounding interested. 

As Loki started flipping through channels, Tony sat up. He grabbed his pillow and propped it up too. He sat as casually as he could appear to next to Loki. “This history thing seems okay,” Loki said, ignoring the thunder that tried to drown him out. They were talking about inventions, so Tony would probably be interested. He dropped the remote on the comforter. 

When Loki glanced over, Tony was watching it and following along, so it seemed alright. Loki dropped his head back against the headboard. The real challenge was going to be not falling back asleep right away. This rain was exactly the kind of steady pattering sound that felt good to fall asleep to.

They were two minutes into watching it when Tony blurted out, “You should go back to bed. I’m keeping you up—”

Loki set his hand on Tony’s knee. He rubbed his fingers in a small circle, holding in a yawn. “I’m going to quiz you on the show after this,” he promised. 

Tony let out a breath that might’ve been a sigh, but he quieted down. 

Loki scooted over in the bed, wedging their sides together. Slowly, he sank down until his head was resting on Tony’s chest. 

Loki knew he watched at least one episode, but he fell asleep at some point after that. He woke up halfway down the bed, listening to Tony snore. It was pitch black. Relieved, Loki repositioned himself to get comfortable and fell back asleep. 

 

“What are you staring at?” Tony asked with a mouthful of pancakes. It was sunny and warm outside without a trace of the night’s storm. Tony wiped syrup from his mouth to Loki’s judgmental stare.

“I’m just impressed that it’s your third one,” Loki said. They were plate sized. 

“It has coconut in it,” Tony defended himself. He grabbed the pitcher of syrup, dousing huge chunks of fluffy pancake. Loki had already finished his omelette. He leaned his arm over the back of his chair, propping his chin in his hand and staring out at the ocean. They’d walked to the next-door restaurant for breakfast and gotten a table outside. Loki was on his second cup coffee. “They make them better than you,” Tony said. 

Loki’s head snapped over to him. Tony held his stare like a kid that knew they’d done wrong but were waiting to see if they’d get away with it. “I don’t make mine with coconut,” Loki said. He knew that look. This was just Tony trying to rile him. He wouldn’t rise to it. 

Tony chewed a huge bite, staring expectantly. Loki gazed up at the birds perched in a tree near them. “I think it’s something else.” 

Loki scowled. It irked him, it really did. Even though he knew Tony was only doing it because he was a brat. “Maybe I shouldn’t make breakfast for you anymore then,” Loki said, sipping primly at his coffee. Tony made a petulant sound. 

“You know I’m kidding,” he said. 

“Are you?” 

Tony gave him a look that said they both knew better. “I want to go walk the beach after this.” 

“Okay.” Loki closed his eyes as a warm breeze blew through, playing with his hair. When he opened them, Tony was watching him with rapt attention, but quickly plowed into his pancake. Loki didn’t say anything, assuming that Tony’s mind was in a gutter somewhere. 

 

They wore sunglasses as they walked the beach in their bathing suits. Tony kept grabbing his hand until it became too hot and they both let go, but Tony kept returning to the motion like Loki might walk off and get lost if he didn’t. The beach was crowded and it was too warm. 

There were a few stands along the beach, but Loki hadn’t been paying attention until he saw one selling temporary tattoos. The idea crawled into his mind and wouldn’t let go. “Hey, Tony.” 

“Yes, sugar cakes?”

Loki ignored the nickname with practiced ease. “Want to get a tattoo?” 

Tony was silent for a moment. “You know, I’ve never thought of myself as a tattoo sort of guy, I don’t know if I could sit there with the needles, which I mean—” Loki nudged him, pointing towards the stand. “Oh.” Loki took off in that direction, Tony trying to hurry in the sand behind him. 

Loki stopped right before the stand, allowing his husband to catch up. Tony curiously peeked around him. There was a board with two dozen different designs to pick from. “I’m not getting a tramp stamp,” Tony said. Loki patted his arm consolingly, focused on the board. 

Loki considered the designs carefully. He pointed to a geometric band. “What about this?” 

Tony made a disapproving sound. “I’d look like a hipster. It’s all triangles.” 

The person running the booth was putting a sea turtle tattoo on a young child. She glanced over at them with skeptical curiosity. The boy getting the sea turtle was happily telling her about video games. She laughed at something, teasing him. “Are you going to get one?” Tony asked. 

Loki raised an eyebrow. “I already have some.” 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Then why are you looking?” 

“Because you need one,” Loki said simply. 

Tony’s gaze narrowed slightly, thinking. Looking for the trick. “I’m not a kid,” he reminded Loki. 

“No,” Loki said. “But you do like mine.” Tony tried to hide his grin at that, but his eyes lit up and gave him away. “So I think you’d like one,” he said. Tony’s gaze flickered between him and the board, still unsure. “Just for fun,” Loki added. 

The kid had finished up his tattoo, and was now watching them as his dad paid for it. “I don’t know,” Tony said. He sounded a lot less unsure, and more like he was trying to get a nudge from Loki now. 

“It’s not scary!” The little boy walked over to them, holding up his hand to show off his tattoo. “It’ll come off!” 

Loki pressed his lips together, trying very hard not to laugh. “I don’t know what to get,” Tony explained to him. 

“There’s a shark,” the little boy informed him. He pointed to it on the board, trying so hard to helpful. “Or maybe you want a sea turtle?” He offered when Tony didn’t immediately take his advice. 

“Maybe,” Tony said. He glanced at the board, then at Loki. “Will you get one with me?” 

“Would you like that?” Loki asked, already knowing the answer. 

“Then he won’t be so scared,” the little boy supplied helpfully to Loki. 

Loki’s eyes lit up as he suppressed his laugh. “That’s a good idea,” he told the kid. “I think I’ll get this one,” he said, pointing to a swordfish. 

“Yeah, that one’s cool,” the boy agreed as his father called out to him. He took off without saying goodbye, leaving them with the amused tattoo artist. She leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed, seemingly enjoying them. 

“I’m ready,” Loki said, taking the chair across from her. Tony lingered by the board, but Loki knew he wouldn’t be able to help himself as soon as she was putting it on. Though, it was a hell of a lot less exciting than when he had a real one. Still, Loki just knew Tony would enjoy having one, even if he wanted to pretend he was too cool. He imagined Tony running his fingers over it when he thought Loki wasn’t looking, pleased with it. 

The woman didn’t make any remark about his actual tattoos as she put the stencil on his forearm, but she seemed to take the same amusement from it as he did. “What brings you guys out here?” She asked, setting on a generic line of conversation. 

“It’s our honeymoon,” Loki said without skipping a beat. 

She nodded towards the board with a bit of derision. “I’m sorry we don’t have anything more exciting up there.” 

Loki laughed. “He already said he won’t go for a tramp stamp.” 

“You’re missing out,” she called over to Tony. He didn’t quip back at her, but he looked indignant. Loki was beaming. “I guess the shark on there’s kind of sexy,” she said, obviously not believing it herself. Tony walked up beside Loki as she began to airbrush his arm. 

“Did you decide?” Loki asked. Tony simply nodded. “What’s it going to be?” 

“You’ll see.” 

There was something mischievous in Tony’s eyes. Loki couldn’t work it out of him like this, so he’d just have to wait it out. He gave Tony a look that said he knew something was up. Tony returned it with determined glee. 

As the woman finished Loki’s tattoo she asked where they’d been and made recommendations for other places to go. Tony took Loki’s spot when she finished, and succinctly told her the number of the tattoo he wanted before carrying on the conversation about sightseeing. Loki had to take a few steps towards the board to see which tattoo matched the number Tony had said.

He scowled, turning back to Tony with a dirty look. Tony was subtle, but there was no way Loki could miss the cocky joy aimed at him. He licked his lips, wondering why he’d daydreamed for a single moment that Tony would be anything but bratty with it. 

He couldn’t say anything now though, so he shot the breeze with them until it was time to go. As soon as they were out of earshot, Loki curled his arm around Tony’s waist and pulled him close, muttering into his ear. “When are you going to let that go?” 

“When it stops amusing me,” Tony said cheerfully. Loki answered with an overwhelming sigh. Tony grabbed his hip, barely in polite territory, and gave it a light squeeze. “Let’s go back to the hotel.” 

“I like that idea,” Loki said, his voice a seductive purr, but his mind was already working on payback. 

 

Tony’s hand spent most of the elevator ride upstairs on his ass, and they’d barely shut the door to the room when Loki pushed Tony up against the wall. Tony moaned into his mouth, rocking his hips as Loki’s fingers dug in beneath his waistband, fingers clenching at a handful of ass while his thumbs pushed and slid up the bones jutting from Tony’s hips. Tony gasped for breath. 

He wrapped his arms around Loki’s shoulders, smiling openly. Even as lust barreled through Loki, the wave of affection from the way Tony was smiling at him felt good in another way. He surged forward again, sucking at Tony’s bottom lip. 

His own hips had started to grind of their own volition, the ache there spurring his body on as his mind whirred, trying to get back to the plan. He freed one hand from Tony’s tightening waistband and used it to cup Tony’s cheek, foreheads close as his own cheek burned. “Wait.” He kissed Tony’s lips sweetly before softly sucking Tony’s bottom lip again. “Let’s move to the bed.” 

Tony slumped against the wall, pulling Loki’s shoulders in with the motion. Tony’s breathing was still hurried. He seemed to debate with himself before letting go. “Okay.” 

Loki started for the drawer that their toys were in. When he turned back around, Tony was shirtless and kicking his pants to the floor. Loki decided not to complain about not getting to undress him. 

Loki dug back into the drawer. Tony’s hands came around his waist, pulling him in. Tony mouthed at his neck. “What’re you doing?” He asked, making the question sound dirty. 

He let his head fall back a little, resting against Tony’s chest somewhat. “I want to blow you.” There was a heartbeat of silence.

“And?” Tony asked. 

Loki let out a soft huff of breath. Tony was too smart. He twisted in Tony’s hold, eyelids lowered as he spoke towards Tony. “I want you to lay on the bed,” Loki said, kneading the stretchy cock ring in his palm but keeping it hidden. 

Tony kissed his neck, sparking a nerve that made him shiver. “And you need the whole bottle of lube to do it?” Tony muttered, clearly aware that there was still something to it, the clever bastard. 

There was no use in dragging it out. Loki twisted so that he was flush against Tony’s chest, Tony’s arms still holding him. Loki held the silicone band up between his pointer and middle finger. “I want you to wear this.” 

Tony took in a long, slow breath. “You’re going to draw it out,” he thought aloud, pulling Loki in tighter and trying to hide his arousal at the idea by tucking his face in against Loki’s hair. 

Loki scratched his fingers along the scruff at the back of Tony’s neck. “I am, Tony.” There was a domineering lilt to the way he said it. Tony’s lips brushed softly against his neck before Tony bit down against his shoulder, drawing a groan from Loki. “Be good,” he muttered. 

“That’s my line,” Tony replied, taking a relaxed step back towards the bed. He sprawled out on the white sheets. Loki’s gaze lingered on Tony’s self-assured, comfortable face, holding Tony’s answering stare until his chest became soft. Loki kicked off his bottoms. Then he realized he was forgetting something. 

Tony let out a displeased groan from the bed as Loki went towards the bathroom. “What’re you doing?” Tony complained from the other room. 

Loki returned and sat down at the edge of the bed, near Tony’s hips but far enough away that Tony’s hand couldn’t reach him. He swung his legs up onto the bed beside him. Then he combed his fingers through his long hair, shaking his head a bit. He didn’t have to look at Tony to know what was happening. He’d known that Tony had a thing for his hair for a long time now. It was why he’d never questioned letting it grow longer. 

Loki took the hair tie he’d snagged from the bathroom and pulled it back into a bun, smirking at the uneven breath Tony drew in. “There,” he said, as if he had no idea he’d been putting on a show. “Ring’s next.” 

Tony didn’t say anything as Loki slipped it on with a little lube, but as Loki’s fingers brushed against the base Tony’s hand cupped the back of his head, holding him there for a moment as Tony pressed a warm kiss to the side of his face. Loki breathed out, cheeks flaring. Tony’s hand traced down his spine. “I love you, Lo,” Tony muttered. 

Loki straddled his lap in reply, forgetting his plan for a moment. He gripped Tony’s shoulders as Tony’s lips parted for him. Tony’s fingers slid into his bun and held as he kissed Loki back, his breath warm but not hurried. When they parted to catch their breath, a wet sheen was left on Loki’s bottom lip. Tony’s arousal was trapped beneath him. Tony’s hands held his hips insistently, moving them the way Tony wanted. A blush had crawled down Loki’s chest and cheeks.

Loki pressed his forehead to Tony’s for a moment, trying to gather himself. Partially, he just wanted to give in and fuck Tony senseless. Or have Tony fuck him senseless, it didn’t matter. 

But then his gaze slipped down to the stupid fucking octopus on Tony’s arm. It winked back at him with its dumb cartoon face. 

Loki stared at it for a moment, his body hot and flustered. No. Tony had started this game. He closed his eyes for a moment before finding Tony’s neck with his lips, curling his fingers in Tony’s hair to tilt his head back and make his throat easier to nip and suck down. Tony writhed, hips grinding against Loki’s own arousal. Loki’s lips trailed downward. His kisses became fleeting the closer he got, until Tony was making eager sounds on the bed. 

The soft tang of Tony slid along his tongue as Loki teased the slit, one hand curling around Tony’s length while the other pressed absently at his thigh. Tony eased his legs as wide apart as they’d allow. 

Loki’s thoughts started to scatter as he took Tony into his throat. Tony moaned, loud and uninhibited. His hand clutched at Loki’s hair as he begged something too quietly to be heard. Loki’s eyes fell shut, Tony’s scent and taste and girth overwhelming. His lips stretched thin around Tony. The slow drag up and down his throat drew a soft moan from himself. 

Tony was the only man he’d ever enjoyed doing this with. The reverent thought was quickly replaced by annoyance as Tony tugged too hard at his bun, snapping him out of it. Loki glanced up to find that Tony wasn’t paying attention at all. His eyes had fallen shut in bliss. 

Loki took the interruption to pull back before he lost his resolve and gave in. He eased Tony’s hand from his hair and let it desperately grip the mattress sheets instead. Tony did nothing at first as the cold air greeted his slicked length. He shifted his hips a little, like he was seeking friction. Then he looked up. 

Loki was watching him with alert, firmly fond green eyes, but there was something in their expression that tipped Tony off. He started to ask as Loki bent down, his tongue sliding into Tony’s questioning mouth as his body carefully avoided the rest of Tony’s. 

Running his hands down the length of Tony’s arms as Tony kissed him back, Loki found his wrists. He pinned them to the bed. His thumbs circled Tony’s quickening pulse. Loki broke the kiss, burying himself in Tony’s neck and sucking at the skin there hard enough to leave marks without meaning to. “I love you too,” he mumbled, because suddenly it was extremely important that Tony knew and he felt pained at the guilt of not saying it back immediately. 

“I appreciate that,” Tony breathed. “But if you wouldn’t mind—”

Loki then remembered Tony’s abandoned cock and why he was situated awkwardly at an angle away from Tony. He grinned. It was funny, actually. 

“Tony,” he said sweetly. Tony groaned disagreeably. Loki’s voice had been enough to let him know what was coming next. “Remember when you said someone else’s pancakes were better than mine?” 

Tony rolled his eyes. He turned his head towards Loki with sass. “I haven’t touched anyone else’s _pancakes_.” He grinned at Loki. “I’m a married man.” It was only then that Loki got he was making an innuendo. 

Loki dragged his thumbs up and down Tony’s wrists, avoiding his lax hands. He was staring at Tony with an intensity that he thought would make Tony squirm. It didn’t. “Are you jealous that I liked someone else’s pancakes, Lolo?” 

Loki glared. 

“I think they used more butter,” Tony mused. 

“I think I should switch to a Hammer Tech phone,” Loki said. “I heard they’ve got a better operating system—”

Tony scoffed, cutting him off. “Yours has Jarvis in it, for fuck’s sake. You’re not going to switch.” 

Loki pressed his lips together, but suddenly lost the urge to bicker with Tony. It was nothing but affection that he looked down at his husband with, admiring the way his brown locks twisted to the side on the pillow as Tony stared at the far wall with an amused grin. Fuck, he fucking loved Tony. He let go of Tony’s wrists, bending down to kiss him again. 

Tony flipped them over, grinding their hips together as he nipped as Loki’s neck. Loki’s toes curled. Tony felt so fucking good, he really did—

“Tony,” Loki said, drawing out the name. Tony hummed in reply, his tongue tracing Loki’s pulse in his neck. “I really do want to finish what I started—”

Suddenly Loki was naked and alone in the middle of the bed, Tony’s weight gone. Loki missed it. Tony sat up, rearranging himself back down on the bed. He held his head in his hands, elbows sticking out. “That’s a good work ethic, Lo.” 

Loki twisted his lips at that, but he didn’t retaliate with more than a flick of his fingers to Tony’s thigh. 

He traced a single vein down Tony’s length until he took the head between his lips again. He was faster this time, humming and sucking as he pushed at the line of what he could take. It always got him off too, doing this. Every time his hips shifted, he was reminded. Tony’s smooth cock slid down his throat, Tony’s voice cracking. He felt a slight throb and slid off with a loud pop. 

Tony was watching him this time, breath more hurried. He had to be right on the edge. Loki’s attention shifted to the fucking octopus tattoo. 

“My jaw hurts,” Loki announced. He rubbed at it, pretending to be in pain. “If only I had a few tentacles to finish you off—”

“—I _knew_ you had to be up to something,” Tony exclaimed, shaking his head at the ceiling. Loki couldn’t believe he’d been so obvious. Or maybe Tony just knew him well enough by now. “I knew you were going to be a tease,” he said sitting up. 

Loki blinked, uncertain for a moment if he’d gone too far. The tender way Tony looked at him brushed that worry away. “You’re just so fucking good at it,” Tony said, grabbing Loki’s neck and pulling him into a kiss. Loki’s heart was pounding as Tony pulled back. “It’s worth it,” Tony declared. 

Loki pressed his lips to Tony’s, tracing his tongue along Tony’s, trying to convey how loved that made him feel. Tony let Loki push him back into the right position, crying out when Loki’s mouth was at his desperate erection again. Tony panted, gripping the sheets as Loki didn’t hold back, thoughts of drawing Tony to the brink only to stop again and again now gone. “I’ll get you for it later,” Tony gasped. “I’ll—ah—add it to—your tab.” 

Tony came with a silent cry, mouth stretched open. Loki swallowed. Absently, he thought it felt like more than usual. He sat up and watched Tony lay there, eyes closed, catching his breath. 

Loki couldn’t articulate what specifically about Tony was so beautiful. Maybe it was just that he loved him, and that was enough. Whatever it was, his chest ached with it. 

Loki wiped his thumb against his lips. 

His hand dropped into his lap. The bed sheets rustled beside him. Tony sat up, curling his arms around Loki’s waist and sucking at the spot he’d bitten earlier. Loki clenched his teeth together as he flexed his neck back, taking a shallow breath. Tony’s hand curled around his length. “I could put the ring on you now,” Tony said against his skin. 

Loki shifted, Tony’s hand moving with him. He grasped for the bedsheets, not sure what he was doing. “But,” Tony murmured. “What’d be the fun in that?” 

“What’re—” Loki gasped. Tony twisted at a peaked nipple. He pulled Loki into his lap, tugging his cock a moment later. Tony’s lips pressed at the ridges of spine peaking out from his neck and along his shoulder, pausing at the arcing bump on the end of his collarbone to suck. Tony’s thumb trailed under the ridge at the head of his cock. “Tony,” he said, not sure what he was asking. 

“Come right here, babe.” Loki tried to look over his shoulder, but Tony’s hand was tempting a thrust from his hips that was impossible to deny. “Right here, Lokes. Then we can go get some of those pancakes—”

Loki started to scowl, trying to get a word out, but Tony’s grip tightened. Loki gasped, bucking back against Tony’s chest. Tony’s hand tugged down his swollen length. “Loki,” Tony cooed. Loki was on the verge of saying something snarky when he tipped over the edge. 

Tony’s hand didn’t stop, stroking him until he moaned out a cry, too sensitive. Loki twisted back around, straddling Tony’s lap and wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Tony sank down with him onto the mattress. His kisses were slow and sloppy and just what Loki needed. If Tony let go, if the pressure of his weight over Loki disappeared, it was going to fucking hurt. 

When they wound down and Tony pulled them onto their sides, latching one leg over Loki, he was sleepy. He didn’t care if he passed out now and had a late dinner. That sounded nice. 

“I am going to cash in on your tab,” Tony promised him, breaking the quiet and drawing him out of sleep. 

Loki’s eyes fluttered open, hazily setting on Tony’s chest. He couldn’t see his face. “You owed _me_ , you tentacle fucker,” he muttered, yawning. 

“That’s _you_ ,” Tony said. 

Loki pulled his leg out from between Tony’s. “I’m never making you pancakes again.” 

“There, there,” Tony said consolingly. “I still like yours better.” He stroked his fingers through Loki’s hair, and Loki didn’t care if it was patronizing. It still made him feel better. He decided the call to sleep was better than arguing with Tony and drifted off, not even waking when Tony chuckled to himself and pulled Loki in tighter.


	4. Chapter 4

“Hey, hey, hey,” Tony muttered, cradling Loki’s face in his hands. “Eyes here, gorgeous.” Loki’s eyes slowly rose to meet his as Tony’s thumbs reassuringly brushed over his cheekbones. The red flush on his pale skin only made the green in his eyes stand out more. Tony let out a breath, marveling at how beautiful Loki was. “That’s it.” 

“Tony,” Loki said uncertainly, breaking eye contact already. 

“Uh-uh,” Tony chided. “Eyes on me.” 

Loki pushed himself back against the headboard, his straining cock shifting between them. Tony had already come and was funneling his new lucidity into helping Loki achieve the same. With his own enjoyment too, of course. “Please,” Tony added, kissing Loki’s cheek. He still tasted of the salt from the sea, from when they’d gone for surfing lessons that morning. Loki’s eyes settled back onto him, more determined this time. 

Tony grinned. 

He reached between them, rewarding Loki’s compliance by curling his fingers around the warm skin. Loki drew in a shallow breath. It said something about how aroused he was that he wasn’t snipping or snarking at Tony. His eyes fell half shut as Tony stroked in one long, slow motion downward. “Have I told you how god damn gorgeous you are?” Tony asked, his voice fond and soft. 

Loki blinked, his grip on the covers relaxing for a moment. “Once or twice,” he breathed. 

“Then I should say it more often,” Tony said, sliding his slicked thumb over the head. Loki smiled tightly in reply, spine curling as he pushed back against the unyielding headboard. Loki groaned as Tony’s thumb worked in a circle. Tony stopped. “Eyes here.” 

Loki found him again, the intimacy of it sending shivers across Tony’s skin. 

Loki was wearing the wedding ring Tony had made him. His length was still slick from their earlier round and Tony’d lost count of how many times they’d had sex ages ago. He knew Loki, probably better than he knew anyone. And as much as it all should’ve felt routine, it wasn’t. 

Loki held his gaze, a slow panting falling from his chest as Tony traced his fingers along a vein in the smooth skin. Tony knew, logically, that it was impossible to know everything about anyone. And yet he easily forgot that until he found himself staring into Loki’s eyes, wondering what other parts of Loki he’d get to know. What they still had left to find and figure out together. 

“Tony,” Loki asked. 

It was his way of begging Tony to go harder, Tony knew that. And yet Tony didn’t want the moment to stop. He curled his fingers, the warm skin sliding slightly as he tugged downward. “I’ve got you, babe.” 

There was some amusement in Loki’s expression then, but Tony didn’t try to figure it out or connect the pieces. He just enjoyed the way that Loki’s happiness made him feel lighter. 

It was always kind of thrilling to have his badass husband like this too, like putty in his hands. 

Loki breathed through parted lips, eyes clouded with lust as Tony stroked the firm length in his hands, almost meditatively. He brushed a few of the strands that had fallen from Loki’s ponytail back behind his ear, his fingers drifting against the soft shell. Tony smiled, unsure of what to say. He tightened his grip, drawing a gasp from Loki. 

Loki’s hips flinched and stuttered forward, his head smacking backwards against the headboard. He grasped the sheets, eyes clenched tight for a moment. Tony didn't stop. Loki drew in a deep, shuddered breath before looking back at Tony, remembering the earlier promise. It was intense. That was all Tony could think, holding Loki’s stare. 

Fuck, Tony loved him. 

If Tony’s body had been capable, he would’ve been hard all over again. Instead, he let the hand still beside Loki’s face linger there, simply holding him as his other hand worked on making Loki come undone. 

He knew Loki fucking loved him. He knew it absolutely from the way Loki stared back at him, and it was so much to take in that Tony might’ve looked away if Loki hadn’t come right then, gaze not wavering even as his lips twitched and face flushed darker. Tony held that gaze through all of his orgasm, mesmerized at the subtle shifts and changes in his husband’s face. 

It took Tony a moment to come back down from the intimacy of it, so he couldn’t imagine what it was like for Loki. 

Loki let go of the sheets, bending forward to wrap his arms around Tony. He rested his head on Tony’s shoulder, face turned away. 

Tony cupped the back of Loki’s neck, breathing in against the long black hair. Salt and the faintest hint of fragrance from their shampoo greeted him. 

Loki’s weight dropped into him. Tony ran his thumb down the ridges of bone peeking out from his neck. Loki’s heartbeat could be felt against his chest, still quickened. Sneaking his fingers up into the sections of Loki’s loosened ponytail, Tony kneaded his fingers in small circles against his scalp. 

Loki let out a loud breath that shuddered against Tony. 

Tony hugged him, pulling Loki’s lean body against his own and squeezing before letting go to grab wipes off the nightstand. Loki sank forward with the motion before catching himself, blinking as he rubbed his hand against his face. He looked sleepy. Tony’s chest rumbled with soft, affectionate laughter. 

“I think it’s going to be one of those leftovers for dinner kind of nights,” Tony said. 

“I wouldn’t be opposed to watching a movie in bed,” Loki answered, grabbing a wipe from the pack in Tony’s inattentive hands. The package crinkled as Tony set it down on the bed. 

“That’d be good.” 

Something sparked in Loki’s expression, amusement lighting up his eyes. “I think you could use the rest after surfing today anyway.” 

Smiling, Tony pushed at Loki’s arm. “Hey. I made it up on the wave once or twice.” Loki’s laughter rang out. “I did scuba, not surfing, unlike somebody here. It’s not fair that you remembered so much when you haven’t been since you were a kid.” 

“I don’t think that had anything to do with it,” Loki said. “I think it’s that you didn’t listen to the instructor—”

“I did!” Tony grabbed Loki’s hips, pressing their foreheads together and staring into Loki’s eyes as if that was all it’d take to win him over. Loki chucked the crumbled ball in his hands towards the bin, not watching where it landed. Then he set a rather cold, wet hand on Tony’s ass. 

“I know,” Loki said with a condescending tone that still was playful. Tony sat back, cleaning himself off with quick, utilitarian motions. He’d been planning on pulling Loki into the shower with him, but the idea was losing its appeal as he yawned. He’d sort of rather pass out now. Or eat. He could do that too. “Tony.” 

“Hmm?” 

He hadn’t expected for Loki’s expression to be so soft suddenly. Loki’s lips twitched up in a small smile. “I liked that,” he said, almost quiet. Tony stared at him, clueless about what he meant. “You’ve never asked that before,” Loki clarified. There was a hesitation to how he said it, almost like he was going to lose his nerve, but maybe not. Tony wasn’t sure. 

He scooted forward on his knees. “I liked it too,” Tony said lightly. He settled in between Loki’s legs, though neither was touching the other. 

Loki’s eyebrows dipped together, genuinely thoughtful. “What made you ask that?” 

“To look?” Tony asked, because he still wasn’t certain. Loki nodded. “I don’t know,” Tony answered truthfully. A twist of hair fell in front of his eyes from his bedraggled brown locks. “You really are gorgeous.” 

Loki licked his lips. “Flatterer,” he muttered, reaching forward to grab Tony’s neck and draw him into a kiss. A loud moan escaped Tony’s lips unthinkingly. He was disappointed when Loki drew back. 

There was something in Loki’s expression just begging to talk, even if Loki was close lipped. Tony set his hand on Loki’s thigh. He kneaded the relaxed muscle there, waiting. He heard a soft breath from Loki and sensed prompting was a better way to go. “Why’d you like it?” Tony asked, following the soft ribbons of white that his fingertip left as it trailed down Loki’s warm skin. 

A hint of hunger poked at Tony’s stomach. He wanted to get out the leftovers and start that movie, but they normally didn’t talk about technique so much right afterwards. There had to be something Loki needed to say. 

Loki’s eyes followed the trails left by Tony’s fingertip. “I like that—you— _wanted_ to watch.” 

Oh.

What? 

Loki’s hand disappeared from the sheets, and folded together with his other hand from the corner of Tony’s eye. “This is the first time I’ve been away from home in years.” Tony hadn’t realized that. It made sense. Loki wouldn’t have had the money to travel, but Tony hadn’t thought about that at all. 

“Well,” Loki amended. “There was your parents’ cabin and my business trip, but—” _Those didn’t count_ Tony’s mind helpfully supplied. _Those sucked_. “Being this far away, even in just a few days—” Loki took a breath. “Home feels very removed, and I—I know you’ve seen me at some of my worst.” Tony found himself faced with fierce affection when he glanced up. “And you’ve seen things with my family—I’m—I know it’s all absurd, even more that we’re not there right now, but thank you, Tony.” 

“You don’t have to thank me, Lo.” He turned around and laid his back against Loki’s chest, grabbing his husband's arms and wrapping them around his torso. Man, he hadn’t thought about this being Loki’s first longer trip at all. How’d he missed that? He thought for a moment. “You know Lokes, you’ve seen me at some of my worst too.” Loki kissed his shoulder. “I mean, that’s kind of what we signed on for together, right?” He smiled, twisting his head around and trying to catch a glimpse of Loki. 

Loki smiled back at him in reply. “And the good stuff,” Tony added. “Definitely the good stuff.” 

“It was a good decision,” Loki said quietly. “I don’t know how I got so fucking lucky. I’m thankful for all of it.” 

Tony needed to burn that into his mind for the next time he was feeling unsure and anxious about things. “Me too,” Tony said, not wanting to allow the silence. “Me too.” 

Tony was comfortable wrapped up in Loki’s arms like this. Loki’s head rested against his, and Tony found himself kind of wishing that Loki would keep talking. “Home seems really far away right now,” Tony agreed. Loki hummed. “We should do trips like this more often.” Loki just circled his fingertips on Tony’s stomach. “You think we’ll, what do you think we’ll be like in the next couple of years? You think we’ll have kids, or—” Fuck, he hadn’t meant to say kids, he hadn’t. It’d just tumbled out of his mouth. “—a dog,” Tony quickly tried to cover up over it. “Or cats? But I thought you wanted a dog—”

“—actually, a dog or a cat would be nice,” Loki agreed. “But I don’t think we’re home enough to have a dog.” Tony scratched at his head, considering that. Just as he was about to suggest that he could make an automated dog door that Jarvis could control, Loki spoke. “Or a kid.” 

Tony twisted his head around to see Loki again. “I thought you wanted—”

“I wasn’t sure,” Loki reminded him. “But I’ve thought about it, and I love having a company, Tony.” Had Loki said that before? Maybe in other words, but put like that, it made Tony feel good. He’d worked hard to make that happen. “I like staying up late in our kitchen and having the freedom to do what I want.” The hand kneading Tony’s stomach stilled. “Thor and Jane can’t go out without finding a babysitter. You wouldn’t be able to binge in your lab anymore, we wouldn’t be able to run our companies the way we do now—I think we’d both be great dads, Tony. But I’m happy the way we are now, and I don’t know if we’d be as happy with that added responsibility. And I—” Loki’s arms felt heavier as he relaxed. “Think I’m content being an uncle.”

“Lo,” Tony said, head turned slightly to the side and speaking softly towards Loki’s shoulder, “for what it counts, I think you’d be an amazing dad.” He’d imagined it more than he’d wanted to, in reality. It’d made him panicky, because he didn’t want to deny Loki that. Especially when the Loki in his head was so fucking happy. “And I think you’re right—I like the dynamic we have. I like binging in my lab and coming upstairs to steal a bite from whatever you’re making.” Loki breathed out a soft laugh. “And my company would implode without me watching it.” 

“It’s doing fine right now,” Loki pointed out.

Tony hummed skeptically. He’d still been answering and shooting off e-mails here and there. This trip had far outweighed keeping a watchful eye on his company, but a couple weeks off still made him antsy. He’d be working late when they got back. “Lokes, don’t take this the wrong way, but sometimes when we watch Azalea, I’m ready when she goes home. I enjoy it, but, you know, I like the house going back to being quiet.” 

“I understand,” Loki said. 

“I don’t know how parents do it all the time,” Tony said. “I don’t think I could do that for eighteen years.” His parents certainly hadn’t been able to. “You know?” 

“Tony, there have been nights when I’ve driven back from their house relieved it’s over.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes,” Loki said, sounding like he might laugh at Tony’s disbelief. “No one likes vomit on their shirt and wailing. I love her, but I get it.” Tony rested his arms on top of Loki’s. “We can just be her crazy uncles.” 

“I like the sound of that.” 

“I thought you would.” 

“So,” Tony said. “A cat?” 

“…yes.” 

That felt exciting, actually. “What kind do you want to get?” Tony was going to let him answer, but then he had an idea. “Oh, what about a bengal? You know, the ones with spots?” 

“Tony, we are not getting some fancy ass thousand dollar cat.” Tony rolled his eyes. “We can go to the shelter and pick one out to adopt.” 

Tony was going to say something smartassed, but then the word adopt struck him and he wondered if there was some greater significance to it. Or he was overthinking it. Yeah, probably that. “What about a maine coon?” 

“Too much hair.” Tony was glad Loki wasn’t look at him then so he couldn’t see Tony’s expression. “We’re going to have to train it to stay out of the kitchen.” 

“You’re going to have to train it to stay out of the kitchen,” Tony corrected him. 

“What about the lab?” Loki asked. 

“It has a door,” Tony said. 

Loki’s hand slipped down, and for a moment Tony thought that Loki was going to tickle him and tensed. But Loki was just letting go. “I want dinner,” Loki said. Tony got out of his lap as Loki stood from the bed. Loki paused, looking down at Tony staring up at him. Warm affection softened his smile. 

In a somewhat uncharacteristic gesture, Loki bent down, fingers curling in Tony’s hair as he held him still and kissed his forehead. Then he let go and headed for the suite’s fridge, Tony sitting on the bed and watching him leave with a longing expression. 

“Put my burger in the microwave!” Tony called. He couldn’t see Loki, but he felt somewhat confident that Loki would. 

Tony had made the bed a little nicer when Loki came back in, carrying their heated food. “I expect a tip,” Loki said. He extended the plate towards Tony.

Tony snatched it. “I’ve got one. If you turn your computer on and off again, it’ll probably fix the problem.” 

Loki sank down next to him on the bed. “Smart ass.” He stole the pillow out from behind Tony, using it to prop himself up. “You can start up the movie then, Mr. Technology.” 

“You know how to work a remote,” Tony said. 

“Do I?” Loki asked, pretending to be dumbfounded. “There are so many buttons.” He grabbed it from the beside table. “Help, Tony. I can’t figure it out.” Loki tapped at it like a helpless idiot, pouting at Tony.

Tony whipped it out of his hand. “I feel like I’m at work,” he mumbled, turning the TV on. 

Five minutes later they were sitting lazily with their sides wedged together, still eating but taking breaks to snark at the film they were watching. Tony couldn’t have felt more at home.


	5. Chapter 5

The stars were out when Tony and Loki got back to their room. They’d spent the morning apart. Loki had gone to used book stores and ate at a restaurant that Tony hadn’t shown interest in. Tony had worked out and then lounged at the pool. They’d met up for a late lunch and then gone sightseeing together. Neither was tired. 

Tony pulled off his shoes. “I’m thinking it’s a good night to get some use out of that hot tub, Lokes.” 

“I’m up for it,” Loki answered, slipping his phone out of his pocket. He glanced at the screen and then typed back a quick reply. 

“What’s Thor up to?” Tony asked, watching Loki’s fingers sprint across the screen. 

Loki proofread it before sending it off. “It’s not Thor.” He dropped it back in his pocket. “My mum was just checking in.” Tony was watching him with a subtle unhappiness in his expression, but he wasn’t saying anything. “I assured her we were still alive,” Loki said. “Do you want to get the hot tub running?” 

“Hey Lo,” Tony said, walking back towards him. “Remember the swimsuit I bought you?” Tony set his hands on Loki’s shoulders. “Wouldn’t that be fun to wear?” 

A little pout struck Tony’s lips as he stared up at Loki, doe eyed. The sudden rush of his cologne made his presence seem bigger, too. Loki bit the inside of his lip. Of course he remembered the swimsuit. 

The sad, pathetic excuse for a swimsuit. 

But Tony was hopeful, and Loki had already decided he would. “Fine,” he said, trying to ignore the pleasing way Tony’s fingers massaged his shoulders. Tony grinned. “Fine,” Loki said louder, rolling his eyes. 

“Do you need help putting it on?” 

Loki scowled in reproach as Tony broke into a laugh. Tony wasn’t sorry at all, though. “I will meet you outside,” Loki said, enunciating each word clearly. 

“It’s in the top drawer,” Tony said helpfully. Loki stuck his hands in his pockets as Tony let go and started towards the bedroom, an obvious sway in his hips. Loki waited until Tony was outside to go pull open the drawer.

The swimsuit peeked out from under a t-shirt. Loki sighed. He held onto the drawer as he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. What was the difference between wearing this thing and going nude? There was no bravado, and it wasn’t a costume. Besides, it wasn’t like Tony had any uncertainty about what would be underneath. It wouldn’t even be left to his imagination. 

The silky smooth fabric pooled against his fingers as he picked it up, hand clenching around it as he went to the bathroom to put it on. He wanted to have a mirror, and he didn’t want Tony to sneak a peak as he was putting it on. 

Loki pulled his shirt off over his head, dropping it down on the counter before unzipping his jeans. He pulled them down, wondering again why Tony wanted to see him like this at all. If Tony was going to ask Loki to wear something, he could’ve asked for something more scandalous, like boots and a corset…it would be better not to put that idea in Tony’s head. Loki stared at himself in the mirror, as if making a pact with his mirror self not to tell Tony that. 

Because he would wear it, if Tony asked. 

Putting that thought aside, Loki yanked off his underwear, suddenly feeling very exposed and very unsure. He glanced at himself in the mirror. 

There was a kink from his pony tail holder running through the center of his hair as it hung down against his shoulders. The humidity had brought back some of its curl in the form of awkward waves. Loki wanted to straighten it again, but that’d look like he was trying too hard. He let out another sigh. 

The swimsuit fabric was incredibly soft. It probably cost a lot. 

What had Tony been thinking when he ordered it? 

Loki hooked his thumbs around the waistband. He tested the stretch. 

He was going to be lucky if this covered his dick, forget about his ass. There was no way around it. It was most certainly a thong. 

Loki tested the stretch again. He didn’t mind playing into Tony’s fantasies. Tony had never requested anything that Loki found strange or even unusual, which had surprised Loki in the beginning. He was probably the more adventurous of the two of them, in reality. 

And the thong was so simple. 

Loki held it up to the light, trying to assess what the appeal was. What if it was Tony’s? Would Tony look good in it? 

The Tony in his head was a playful brat in it, making muscle builder poses. 

If he stuck Tony in it, he’d have Tony wear it for all of two seconds before he yanked it off. Maybe if he had Tony wear something else with it? Would that be more interesting? 

Thinking about the thong wasn’t going to get it on him. With a sigh, Loki stepped into it, all long pale limbs as he pulled the tight black fabric up his skin. 

He stared at himself in the mirror. 

He just saw himself, squeezed into a slightly snug thong. He’d probably be more attractive without it. All it did was emphasize how pale he was. He picked at the temporary tattoo on his arm. 

He wasn’t aroused in the least, so it fit the front better than it was probably going to if stayed on longer than three minutes out there with Tony. What was the point of getting shit like this anyway, if you didn’t wear it long enough? 

Loki knew he was stalling. With hesitation, he turned around to see how the back looked in the mirror. 

The black strip of fabric was snug between his ass cheeks, there was no getting around it. Loki pressed a hand to his forehead. It looked ridiculous. Fuck, it was ridiculous. 

Tony had better damn well appreciate it. 

The weird man with his weird fantasies. 

Loki reached for the door handle, leaving his clothing discarded on the floor and counter behind him. His heart picked up a few beats as he started for the patio. He didn’t want Tony to laugh. 

Loki held his breath as he slid the door open, dreading and wanting to see Tony’s reaction at the same time. 

Loki heard the gasp before he saw Tony’s face. 

Tony’s mouth had fallen open a bit and he hadn’t looked this aroused just at the sight of Loki since…since…probably sometime when they’d first started dating, for sure. It was like he was seeing Loki for the first time. “Come here,” Tony said, opening his arms wide. 

Loki brushed his hair back over his shoulder. “So soon?” He asked, voice lofty and distant. 

“Uhh, yeah,” Tony said, like Loki was an idiot. 

Loki took a half step forward. He wasn’t ready to turn around and let Tony see the back yet. “Are you sure you don’t want a show?” Loki asked, making it sound like he’d planned this all along. He already knew what Tony’s answer was going to be. 

“Not unless I can touch you,” Tony said. He grabbed the side of the hot tub, water sloshing around him as he leaned forward. Loki felt the smirk that tilted his lips. Inwardly, he was grateful Tony hadn’t demanded a show. “Come here.” 

Loki took slow, measured steps. There was a predatory lean to them, all show and power, even if his heart was hammering. “Babe,” Tony said when he reached the side of the tub. 

“Hmm?” 

Tony beamed at him. “Turn around, I want to see how it all looks.” 

Fuck. 

Loki brushed a lock of hair back behind his ear. “Do you?” He ran his fingers through Tony’s hair instead, then brushed his thumb over Tony’s chin, curling his fingers beneath and tilting Tony’s head up even more. “Then ask me sweetly,” Loki said with a domineering lilt. “And I’ll consider.” 

Normally that sort of thing turned Tony on more. He surprised Loki, only getting cocky at the command. “And deny yourself a chance to let me show you how much I like it? Uh-uh. I’ve been waiting to see how that thing looks on you for weeks.” He grabbed Loki’s hip, drops of warm water from his hand falling on his skin and leaving goosebumps in their wake. 

Loki’s shoulders sank as he started to give in, sighing. Tony’s lips pressed against his sternum. “Get in the tub, babe.” 

“I thought you wanted to see my ass.” 

“I do! How am I going to see it if you’re lording around outside the tub, huh?” Tony patted his ass, drawing a slight jump out of Loki. 

“Move aside, I’m getting in.” 

Tony’s arm blocked off the entry. He raised an eyebrow. “Turn around first.” 

Loki rolled his eyes, taking a step back from the tub. He did a slow turn, and even though he couldn’t see Tony for most of it, it was like he could feel Tony’s delighted lust radiating towards him. When they were facing each other again, Loki was wearing a slight blush and Tony’s pupils were blown wide. Tony blinked, dazed almost. “Alright, gumdrop, now you can get in the tub.” 

Loki ruffled Tony’s hair into a mess just to be a dick as he climbed in over the side. 

He’d expected Tony to surge forward and grab him, but Tony had laid his arms over the back of the tub instead. A slow, winding burn crept through Loki as he saw Tony’s expression. 

Tony seemed _proud_. 

Loki sank down into the bubbling tub, the water rising to his chest. His hair fanned out around him on the steamy surface. “Lo,” Tony said. “What about that show?” 

Fuck, it was hard to be a smart ass about it when Tony’s gaze was so adoring. Loki rose from the water, more confident now that he knew Tony liked it. “How about a little more than a show?” Loki asked, crawling into Tony’s lap. 

Tony was as hard as a rock. Despite the way Tony had been looking at him, Loki hadn’t expected it. Tony grabbed his hips. It caught Loki’s attention again. He grinned at Tony, grinding his hips in a sensual roll. Tony’s mouth greeted his eagerly, tongue slipping in against his and making Loki’s toes curl. 

Tony’s thumbs tugged the waistband outwards, off of Loki’s hips. Loki rocked his hips forward, teasing Tony. “You know what I’d really like?” Tony asked. He let go, the straps snapping against Loki’s sides before the warm water rushed in over the dull pinch. 

Loki let himself sink down into Tony’s lap, grinding as he did. “What?” 

Tony’s hand brushed against his back in a soothing, casual way that still hinted at possessiveness somehow. A bead of sweat slid down Tony’s face, and Loki wasn’t sure if it was from the heat of the tub or his arousal. “Let me admire your ass in that.” 

Loki couldn’t help the smile that lit up his face, even as he remarked, “You’ve seen my ass hundreds of times.” 

“Yeah. You show your ass all the time, especially when I mess up something in your kitchen.” Loki scowled at the joke, even though he was kind of impressed with Tony’s cleverness too. “Lean against the side of the tub for me?” Tony asked hopefully.

“Fine,” Loki said, though he didn’t feel that put upon. It was amusing, truth be told. Tony quickly kissed his check, tender and soft, as if assuring Loki that he loved him for more than his ass. As if there’d ever been a doubt. 

Loki crossed the hot tub. He propped his elbows against the other side wall and set his head in his hands, tilting his hips to display his ass prominently. 

He liked the attention, truth be told. 

Tony whistled. Loki turned back over his shoulder with a coy smile. “Like this, Tony?”

A soft groan slipped from Tony’s mouth. Instead of answering, he cupped his hand in the water as he got closer. Tony brought up a handful, then poured it down Loki’s back. 

Loki turned around to hide his laughter. He was sure it was a pretty sight, with the steam drifting up around them and beads of water rolling down his pale cheeks trapped between the black bands. Tony’s hand followed a moment later, kneading and grasping like it was something entirely new. Loki was content to let him explore, leaning into it as it suited him. Tony pressed his lips to Loki’s shoulder, the water pooling up higher around Loki with the movement closer.

Loki wasn’t sure how it happened, but suddenly he found himself grasping onto the side of the tub with white knuckles and eagerly tilting his head to allow Tony’s mouth to reach the juncture of his neck and shoulder. 

Tony’s hand slipped inside the swimsuit, feeling out his length but not allowing it to escape the confines of the restricting swimsuit. Loki let out a whine, rocking back against Tony for friction. He was flushed and panting already, the heat of the tub and Tony at his back spiking his arousal and making time seem longer than it’d been. Tony’s hand squeezed, the pressure just right, and Loki realized this was going to be a lot shorter than he’d anticipated. “I thought you were going to take it off me,” he gritted out. 

Tony breathed out beside his ear. “Nah,” he said. He sounded half gone. “Too much fun.” Sweat rolled down Loki’s neck as he pushed back against Tony and Tony’s cock slid against his cheeks. He was careening, desperately seeking just that little bit more. Tony’s hand stuttered. If that hadn’t tipped Loki off that Tony had come, the noise Tony made would have. Loki found himself breathing out with a pleased smile, gratified. He reached down for himself. 

“No you don’t,” Tony muttered, grabbing Loki’s wrist with his free hand and tugging more insistently with the other. It was the way Tony laved at the back of his neck that made him come though, the carnal desire of it thrilling. 

Loki’s hand absently tapped against the top of the tub wall. His fingers were relaxed and numb now. “Shower,” he said as sweat slipped into his eyes. 

His limbs were shaking when he stumbled out of the tub, not quite down from the high yet. Tony’s hand set on the small of his back. He kissed Loki’s cheek, fingers sliding into Loki’s wet hair. “I hope I’m invited.” 

Loki’s arm wrapped around Tony’s waist for support. “Who else would wash my hair?” 

Tony started them for the bathroom with a bounce in his step. 

Tony crowded him against the shower wall before the water was even on. Loki reached for the water, letting it run cold. The sudden shift felt wonderful. Tony grumbled something, pressing closer to Loki, but between the ice water and burning hot mouth and hands, Loki wasn’t thinking about anything else but getting them off. After, he panted against the wall, utterly spent, as Tony turned it warmer. 

They were silent at first. Tony reverently washed his hair and took such painstaking care not to get shampoo in Loki’s eyes that it sort of hurt and made his heart go soft. He muttered praises in Tony’s ear as he shampooed a thick lather in his husband’s scruff of hair. Tony dropped his weight against Loki in utter bliss. Loki took much longer than he needed to, holding Tony against his chest as his fingernails drew the foam in circles against Tony’s scalp. 

It took a while for them to come apart and wash the rest of the way down, taking their time with slow, comfortable motions. When they were toweling themselves off, Tony leaned against the counter, running the towel over his hair. “I’m going to install some specialized shelving in the house when we get back.” 

Loki paused halfway through picking his abandoned jeans off the floor. What? 

“Cats like to have places to climb,” Tony explained as Loki dropped his jeans on the sink. “I’m going to program a safety monitoring system into Jarvis too, but I think I’m going to section off the house to keep the cat in the parts of the house that’d be safe. I can set it up so that the cat won’t go in the kitchen, but I’m sort of wondering if we shouldn’t let it have the basement? We hardly use that.” 

Tony had probably worked out all of the programming code for Jarvis to babysit the cat in his head already, knowing how his mind worked. Loki affectionately combed his fingers through Tony’s hair, styling it. “You’ll want it to be able to come in the living room and upstairs to our bedroom so it can hang out with us,” he said. Tony was going to love that cat, Loki just knew. “It’s going to be spoiled,” he said, breathing out a laugh. 

“Yeah,” Tony said, “it is.” 

Loki was fine with that. He grabbed the rest of his clothes from the floor and walked out into the bedroom with Tony at his side. Home still felt very far off, and that was alright by him.


	6. Chapter 6

They were sitting outside of an ice cream shop on the curb, watching people pass by as they ate from dripping waffle cones. Tony had chunks of frozen strawberries in vanilla bean ice cream that kept dripping down his chin and getting caught in his beard. Loki had ditched his usual chocolate something or other for Kona coffee ice cream with macadamia nuts. Tony broke off some of the cone in a bite. 

This reminded him of the night Loki had brought him out for ice cream to keep his mind busy, but this time the girl behind the counter hadn’t had eyes for Loki. This time it had been a middle aged man that kept checking the clock on the far wall for his shift to be over. “Look,” Loki said. He nodded towards the couple walking a dog. “It looks like Aster.” 

“Yeah,” Tony said. He adjusted his sunglasses. “I just want to say this now, but we are not naming our cat after a constellation.” 

Loki breathed out what sounded like a snort. “What makes you think I want to name our cat after a constellation?” 

“I don’t know. I can just imagine you one upping Thor by picking the most badass one.” 

“Which one’s that?” Loki asked, elegantly licking a drop of melted ice cream from his hand. He made it look so refined, not suggestive at all. Naturally, that vexed Tony. 

Tony took a bite of his ice cream with the cone like a barbarian. He didn’t know. 

“While we’re on the subject,” Loki said, breaking a piece of his cone off with his fingers. “You’re not naming our cat the way you do your robots. You can’t call it Dum-E2.” 

“Hey!” 

Loki laughed, the low rumble amused and rich. “I wouldn’t do that to a cat,” Tony said. “Dum-E earned that name. He set papers on fire twice.” 

“I hate to imagine what you’ll name it if it decides to shit on the floor.” 

“I hope it doesn’t do that,” Tony said. He needed to make sure he had a protocol for that set up with Jarvis. The bot that was in charge of cleaning up the cat hair could handle that. 

“Are you sure you’re not just going to name it Cat?” Loki teased. “Like U?” 

Tony let out a beleaguered sigh. 

He took a huge bite out of his ice cream. Some rolled down his chin. Loki smiled to himself, relaxed beside Tony. 

“What’re you going to name it?” Tony challenged Loki. 

Loki thought for a moment, absently eating his ice cream. “I won’t know until I see it.” 

Loki dipped the cone chip into his ice cream. He was sunburned on his cheekbones and the tops of his shoulders, which meant he was a little fussy about them and Tony had to be careful with how he handled them in bed. A sigh escaped his lips. “What?” Loki asked. 

Tony had quickly tanned, so he figured that covered up the quick, embarrassed flush on his cheeks. He definitely hadn’t been thinking about getting back into the bedroom already. “I was just thinking that if I left it up to you, you’d name it something literary and kind of pretentious,” Tony said as a cover up. 

Loki scowled. “What makes you think that?” 

“You named those pudding things The Catcher in the Rice Pudding.” 

Loki rolled his eyes. “And the packaging had a demonized carousel horse on it, so I don’t want to hear it from a man whose coding programs are full of historical references.” 

Tony knew Loki had a point there. He took another bite from his dwindling cone. 

There was a warm breeze and it was gorgeous out. Tony couldn’t have been more content. Well maybe he could’ve been if it involved sex, but this was fine too. “I want to go back to the hotel room after this,” Loki said. 

Tony turned his head towards Loki. He saw himself reflected in Loki’s sunglasses. There was a smudge of ice cream on his lip. Wiping it off he asked, “Why?”

“I’ve been watching you eat ice cream for the past fifteen minutes,” Loki said. 

“Oh,” Tony said. _Oh._

 

Loki had him pinned to the bed, and Tony had forgotten what his own ice cream had tasted like fifteen minutes ago. Now it was all Loki and lingering wisps of coffee flavor. Somehow, Loki was the only one missing any clothing. His shirt had hit the floor in under a minute. 

Tony couldn’t remember if that was his fault or not. 

“Hey babe,” Tony breathed out as Loki’s fingers pressed in the soft spaces between his ribs, over the warm cotton of his t-shirt. Loki’s tongue dragged up his neck, Tony clutching at Loki’s back as the sensation made him arch into it. “Remember, uh, remember how you were going to let me spank you?” 

Cold air met the wet skin on his neck as Loki lifted his head, staring into Tony’s eyes with thoughtful attention. “Yes.” 

Tony smiled at him with adoration, flushed on the thick pillow that cradled his head as he stared back up at Loki. “Well, can I, can we do that?” Loki’s clever eyes set on him, waiting. “Now, maybe?” 

Loki’s gaze drifted away from him for a moment as he considered, and truth be told it made Tony a tad bit more comfortable because it was less intense that way. “Sure,” Loki answered casually, as if Tony’d asked if they could turn the lights out. 

Tony grabbed Loki’s wrist as he started to sit up. “And maybe the whole helplessly beneath me thing too?” 

“Do you want to tie me up too?” Loki asked flippantly. 

“Yes.” Tony wanted to. He really wanted to. 

Loki seemed to realize it too, because then he sat up, fondly stroking his hands across Tony’s shoulders as he thought something over. “Alright. We can do that. What would you like me to do?” 

“Let’s move to the couch in the other room,” Tony said. He grabbed the pillow out from beneath his head as he sat up, yanking the pillowcase off. Tony followed Loki into the living room, slightly nervous. He was excited. So excited. He didn’t want to screw it up. 

Loki flopped down onto the long, sleek sofa. He propped his head up with his elbow and leered at Tony. He had no business looking so smug about it and yet there he was. “You don’t look like someone that’s about to get their ass smacked.” 

A coy grin lit up Loki’s face. “You’d better watch yourself because if I can’t fucking sit down afterwards, I’m going to be pissed.” Loki said it lightly, but the warning was clear. 

“Relax,” Tony answered. “I’ll be careful.” He sat down beside Loki’s knees. “I need that ass.” Loki chuckled. “And you know you can call quit anytime you want, so let’s see it.” 

Loki raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you going to undress me?” 

“Roll over,” Tony said, pushing at his legs. Loki was teasing him and being difficult for fun. It was how Tony knew he was in a good mood, and it made Tony happier too. “And watch it with the sass.” 

“Oh, right. I’m supposed to be in distress, helpless for your dick.” Tony gave him a deadpan stare, but it didn’t deter Loki in the least. “Tony, I’ve been so bad, what are you going to do to me?” Loki batted his eyelashes, but he was ten seconds away from bursting into laughter. “Please, right the wrongs of my ways, show me the—”

“—That’s enough of that,” Tony said, picking up Loki’s legs and sliding them over his lap. He needed Loki to roll over and play along. Loki stared at him for a moment before sliding down the couch just enough that his crotch was in Tony’s lap, facing him. Defying Tony and expecting Tony to forcibly flip him over. Tony grabbed his jeans button instead, yanking them open and reaching inside to Loki’s surprise. He gasped as Tony took him in hand, muscles tensing. 

Tony palmed over the thin gray fabric, tracing the warm shape he knew so well. Loki’s blunt fingernails scraped against the couch as he tried to get a grip on the cushion. “Are you going to roll over?” Tony asked, kneading his balls. 

“What’s the pillowcase for?” Loki’s long, dark hair had fallen over his shoulder and onto his bare chest. Tony stared at it for a moment before processing Loki’s question. 

“I’m going to restrain your arms with it.” Loki’s attention lingered on it for a second longer before he eagerly rolled onto his stomach, his warm length now resting on Tony’s thighs. Tony breathed in through his nose to steady himself as his arousal spiked. 

Loki set his wrists on the small of his back, arms relaxed behind himself. They were limp as Tony gently curled his hand around Loki’s wrists. He brushed his thumb over Loki’s pulse. 

Loki’s head was turned to the side on the couch, watching Tony over his shoulder. “It’d help if you could grab your elbows,” Tony said, uncomfortably aware of just how much his cock was straining at his own pants simply from the way Loki was lying compliantly in his lap. 

Loki’s warm skin slid beneath Tony’s hand as he pulled away, grabbing his elbows behind his back, green eyes set on Tony the entire time. Tony didn’t break his gaze, but it meant his hand blindly fumbled around for the pillowcase next to him, his heart skipping a couple beats. 

Tony opened the case and started to slide it up around Loki’s arms. Loki turned away, resting his chin on the couch so that all Tony could see was his hair. “Okay?” Tony asked, even though Loki’s pale arms had only disappeared halfway inside the fabric. 

“Yeah.” Tony continued the slow progression up, sorry that it meant he couldn’t see Loki’s tattoos anymore. “You’re the only person I’ve ever let do this,” Loki said as Tony’s hands gingerly set on his shoulders, restraint set. It was said calmly, like Loki was just voicing a random thought, but Tony knew it had more weight than that. 

Tony’s hand settled on the spot between his shoulder blades, resting there. He got what Loki was saying, that Loki was making the point that he trusted him. It meant a lot to Tony, even if he didn’t say so. “I have to say, I’m surprised you don’t have like an ex-lover from college or wild weekend kind of story about getting tied up.” Tony wasn’t, actually. It was really hard to imagine Loki letting someone boss him around, especially in his college years. 

“I wanted to do it,” Loki said. “There just wasn’t anyone I wanted to do it with.” Maybe it was getting too tender because Loki added, “Though I probably could’ve found someone that bothered to take my pants off.” 

Tony swatted his clothed ass. “I’m getting there. This is on my timetable, remember?” 

“Well there must be a difference in timezones between mine and yours because this is taking for fucking ever.” 

“That was terrible,” Tony said. He shuffled around on the couch so that Loki was better situated in his lap, uncomfortably aware of his own arousal again. “Fine. Jeans are coming off.” 

Loki didn’t help at all as Tony tugged them down, getting one stuck around Loki’s ankle for a moment. He could’ve sworn he heard Loki snicker, but it was muffled by the couch. His legs were like lead. Did he want Tony to take his pants off or not? Tony snapped the waistband of his briefs in retaliation. Loki rutted against Tony’s thighs. “Hey,” Tony warned. 

“Hey’ what?” 

“You know what,” Tony answered. “Little shit,” he muttered, grabbing Loki’s briefs and yanking them off without making a show of it. 

“You could’ve worn softer pants,” Loki complained. 

“You’re not supposed to be having a party for one against them,” Tony complained right back, wondering why he’d bothered with the arm restraint at all. It meant jack shit with Loki, that was for sure. “Stop squirming.” Loki tilted his ass up slightly, then swayed it back and forth. Tony made a face. 

The sound of his hand smacking bare flesh echoed in the room. 

“Happy?” Tony asked. 

Loki turned his head and looked back over his shoulder at Tony, eyes bright like he was oblivious to the pink handprint now on his ass. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m not the one that asked to smack my ass.” 

“You sure enjoy it a lot,” Tony remarked. 

“Is that a bad thing?” 

“No.” Obviously they wouldn’t be doing this if they didn’t both enjoy it. “You’re just—”

“—Not being good?” Loki guessed in a way too innocent voice. 

“Not playing along.” 

“Then make me.” Tony scowled. Suddenly Loki’s foot brushed against his beard. “Hey!” Loki started to laugh, shaking against Tony. He began kicking his feet lazily back and forth like he was reading a book or watching a TV or something, not bound in his husband’s lap. When a set of toes grazed under Tony’s chin, he caught Loki’s ankle. 

“Seriously, Lo? Do I have to bind your feet too?” Loki let out a huff. “Lokes,” Tony said before his husband could get something in, “just lay here like a—” Loki wriggled forward on the couch like a hapless inchworm. “Damn it you long legged bastard,” Tony swore as Loki laughed, his hampered escape attempts only showing off his pale, bare ass in Tony’s clothed lap. 

Tony smacked it, drawing out a hiss that was quickly replaced by laughter as Loki attempted to escape forwards again. Tony may have been shorter, but he was far stronger and more toned than his frame suggested from hours spent in the lab building and daily work outs. He grabbed Loki’s narrow hipbones and yanked his limber form back into his lap. “There.” Warm, smooth skin glided beneath his fingers as he traced the curve of Loki’s ass, grabbing his neck in the same motion to hold him down. 

The action made Loki relax in his lap, his weight sinking down against Tony. Stroking Loki’s back, Tony asked, “Am I going to have to hold you in place the whole time?” 

Loki shifted his hips. “I don’t know. Are you?” 

Tony made a put upon sigh with bravado, but he was fighting off a grin. In reply, he smacked the bare ass in his lap, watching the light pink that welled up and faded. “Maybe I should’ve tied you up in bed instead.” 

“But then we’d miss the opportunity to defile another couch.” 

Tony cupped the warm heat radiating from the spot he’d smacked. “I’m sure this one’s had plenty of opportunities to be defiled already.” Loki made a disagreeable grunt, and Tony got the point. It was better just not to think about that. He raised his hand. The dull thud of skin meeting skin sent a jolt down Tony’s groin. His tan finger traced the pink imprint in the blushing flesh. “Our couch back home is going to be jealous.” Loki didn’t answer. 

Tony leaned back to catch a glimpse of Loki’s face. He was flushed red, his eyes hazy and half shut. As Tony’s hand absently stroked down Loki’s thigh, Loki bit his bottom lip, desire obvious. 

It was more than Tony’s strained cock could handle. He fumbled to unzip his jeans, freeing himself between the zipper but leaving them on. A bead of pre come slid down the head and disappeared beneath. Tony rubbed his fingers at the base of Loki’s neck, aware of the blush burning on his own face. 

Loki’s long figure was laid out comfortably along the couch, the weight of his hips against Tony’s thighs a gentle reminder that Loki was, in fact, there. That Tony wasn’t dreaming. Tony drew his hand back and threw it forward, flat and wide to create a sound more than anything. Loki grunted. Tony spotted movement in the pillowcase. “Hold still. You’re doing so good.” 

Loki let out a loud huff. It was pointed, but his head was turned away so that Tony couldn’t see his expression. 

He traced his fingers down Loki’s thigh, not daring to reach between those sinfully parted legs. With the barest touch, Tony trailed his fingers up. Loki wriggled forward, but Tony’s hold on his neck quickly discouraged him. He let out a little, pleading moan. 

Tony combed his fingers through Loki’s long hair. He wanted to spout off about how much he loved him, about what it was doing to him to have Loki like this, for him. Instead, Tony smacked his ass, knowing damn well it turned Loki on just as much as him. 

Loki was panting at the next few, twisting his hips against Tony before restraining himself without being asked, trying desperately to lay still for Tony. 

Tony watched for reactions with each strike, trying not to keep a predictable pattern. Loki moaned, his toes curling. Tony was becoming breathless too.

“Hold on a sec,” Tony said, delicately rising up. 

Loki twisted around to look at him, face bright red and eyes clouded. “What?” He croaked out, angry almost. 

Tony had been so excited about doing this that he’d forgotten to grab the bottle of lube in their bedroom. “Just a moment,” Tony promised him, standing up. Loki pressed his face against the couch, and Tony had a good idea of what was going to happen in his absence. “Not without me,” Tony said, manhandling him over so that Loki was lying on his back. 

Loki’s straining cock pointed towards his stomach. The pink flush of arousal had crawled all down his pale chest. It was the desperation in his expression that got to Tony, though. “Fuck. I wish I had my camera,” Tony mumbled before taking off for the bedroom, his own arousal swaying with his rushed steps. 

Tony hurried back in, the bottle tightly clutched between his fingers. Loki looked at him with relief. Tony bent down and kissed him, stroking his erection for a moment before letting go. Loki bit Tony’s bottom lip insistently as Tony pulled away. “Tony,” he muttered. Immediately Tony leaned back in, kissing him with urgency. Loki moaned into his mouth. 

Tony brushed Loki’s hair back. “I want you now,” Tony muttered against his ear. Loki tried to help as Tony rolled him back over, sitting down again. A finger slipped inside easily, and it wasn’t going to take anything really after the morning they’d had. Tony just wanted to hear the sound he’d make when Tony found his prostate. 

The moment he struck Loki cried out, calling Tony’s name halfway through. Tony couldn’t drag it out anymore. His cock ached. “Up. In my lap,” Tony breathed out, pulling Loki up until he started to help, awkwardly trying to balance as Tony eased him into sitting in his lap. He reached to free Loki from the arm restraint.

“Leave it.” 

Tony didn’t have to be told twice, and especially not with that wonderful voice. Tony lined himself up and thrust in easily, bottoming out in seconds. One hand gripped to Loki’s hip for dear life, the other clung to his back to help keep him in place. Loki’s eyes rolled back into his head for a moment, his lips cracked open. Then he surged forward, taking Tony’s mouth and dominating with his tongue, spurring Tony to thrust mindlessly upwards. 

Loki’s weight fell against him and Tony had to bear most of it as he plowed up into that tight heat. Loki’s chest sank in against his and Tony was dimly aware of how much control he had, but also how Loki was doing everything in his power to give it right back, squeezing and grinding against Tony as he stole the breath from Tony’s lungs. Tony’s clothes suddenly seemed like a mistake as they trapped the heat of everything in, sweat rolling down the back of his neck and staining his t-shirt as he pounded into Loki as much as their bodies could allow. 

He reached between them and grabbed Loki’s cock. Loki threw his head back, coming with a divine moan that probably sounded ten times louder to Tony’s ears than it actually was. The tightening grip around his cock finally brought Tony to come, gasping as he let himself fall back against the couch. Loki tilted forwards with him, still catching his breath. 

Tony reached back and freed him from the pillowcase. Then Loki’s lips were at the corner of his mouth, his tongue slipping between Tony’s lips, and Tony found himself pinned to the back of the couch as Loki’s fingers raked through his hair. 

“You glorious bastard,” Loki muttered. He sounded pissed and aroused and doting all at once. “You handsome, clever bastard.” He pushed their hips together as he licked into Tony’s mouth again, drawing a cry from him. “When you left me on the couch,” Loki breathed out. “I thought you were going to start some shit with that cock ring—”

“—It was a little late for that,” Tony said matter of factly, feeling the heat on his cheeks as he spoke.

“Tony,” Loki groaned, pulling back just enough that he could look into Tony’s soft brown eyes, his breath drifting against Tony’s lips. “You wonderful man.” The fierce affection in Loki’s gaze made Tony lightheaded. “I’m going to fuck you into the floor this evening,” he promised. Tony laughed. It was warm and bright and happy and wound up with Loki smiling back at him like Tony was the most precious thing he’d ever seen. 

“So I should smack that ass more often,” Tony said. 

Loki rolled his eyes, grinning before resting his forehead against Tony’s. He curled a short lock of Tony’s hair around his finger. “I don’t know,” he started, voice softer, “how we still manage to make this so damn good when we’ve already fucked each other six ways from Sunday.” 

It was praise, man was it praise. Tony was feeling giddy. “Well if we get bored, I’ve got some ideas. You know how you said you couldn’t believe I hadn’t tried to break into the sex toy market? I was thinking I’d make an exclusive line. Like, our bedroom only exclusive.” 

Loki smiled, his gaze turned away from Tony in his own personal amusement. Tony plunged on. “It could be a weekend project for me. I already know the first thing I want to work on.” 

“Hmm?” Loki prompted, all too fond as he watched Tony, pressing in closer for warmth. 

“Obviously it’s going to have to be a tentacle shaped vibrator.” 

Tony yelped at the fingers that pinched like a crab from the beach. “I’m still in, gah, shower, yeah, shower, alright?” Tony pushed at Loki’s chest. 

Loki crawled out of lap. Tony’s clothes stuck to him, unbearable now that he wasn’t distracted. He yanked his sweaty shirt off and threw it on the floor, then kicked off his jeans. Somehow his red briefs had managed to cling to his ass like a second skin. Tony peeled them off with a shudder. He’d been too aroused to notice how uncomfortable it was to have those riding up between his cheeks. 

Loki was standing there waiting for Tony to join him on the way to the shower. When they got to the doorway, Loki blocked it with his arm. “Are you sure you want to step in the shower, Tony?” 

“Yeah. Why?” 

“You never know what might crawl out of the drain. Perhaps something with long tentacles? But then again, that’s really your forte, isn’t it—” Tony ducked under his arm, determined to be the first one to get inside the shower. Loki leisurely followed him, looking pleased with himself. Tony paused before he turned the water on. 

“Lo?” 

“Yeah?” Loki asked, stepping in with him. 

“I love you.” 

Loki’s expression softened. Hands set on his waist. Tony reached for the handle, turning the shower on full blast as his back was pressed to the wall, tender lips following the warm water that rushed down his skin. 

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sips a cocktail with a tiny umbrella* I did say sappy, happy bastards.


	7. Chapter 7

Tony had expected the last night of his Honeymoon to involve a gratuitous amount of sex, not wind up with him and Loki lying on the floor, buzzed on cocktails from the rooftop bar and giggling like idiots until the early morning hours. This was better. Every time one of them would calm down, their chests aching from laughter, the other would start up with something funny and have them both in fits again. As Tony laid there, eyes on Loki and a warmth in his chest, he reveled in the certainty and love he felt. 

Of course, eventually they had to go home. Leaving Hawaii was bittersweet. He knew it couldn’t go on forever and he was looking forward to their life at home too, but he’d loved their honeymoon. It was better than he could’ve asked for. 

The first week back was hectic. They barely saw each other. Tony had fires to put out at work and stayed late every night, Loki was getting up at the ass crack of dawn to go in and get the kitchen back up to speed. For a couple of days, Tony only saw Loki asleep in bed. They missed each other. Loki sent Tony texts during the day, and Tony sent even more in return. 

Sunday was the first day that they weren’t working. It was the first day Loki had to sleep in, and he meant to. He woke up to the sound of hammering. Loki glared at the clock. It was eleven in the morning. Unacceptable. 

Loki trudged down the stairs to find Tony, but stopped when he saw what was on the wall. 

A wood platform ran along the perimeter. Curious, Loki followed the platform, trying to piece together just what the hell it was as he followed it into the living room. “Tony?” 

He was up on a ladder, hammering away. Tony glanced back over his shoulder. “Hey, babe.” He started to get down. 

“What is all of this?” Loki asked. It was too strange to be pissed yet. Parts of the platform abruptly broke and went up higher or down lower as the design snaked across the living room walls, so despite appearances, it couldn't be a shelf. 

Tony leaned against Loki’s shoulder with his arms crossed, admiring his work as Loki stared at it. “I read that cats need things to climb on to be happy. It appeals to their hunting instincts.” 

Loki rubbed his forehead. He needed coffee. 

“I’m going to connect it to a massive condo. I had all of the wood, but we should swing by the store to get carpet before we get the cat.” Loki turned to him in surprise as Tony’s arm came around his waist. “I think we should pick out our little bundle of fur today.” 

Tony’s joy was infectious. Loki couldn’t find it in himself to be mad about the hammering. Apparently he’d slept through most of it, anyway. Loki found himself mirroring Tony’s smile, wrapping his arms around Tony’s shoulders. He’d missed Tony. It'd been a stressful week. 

“We’ll need to go to the pet store too,” Loki said. 

Tony hugged him back, excited. “Fine by me.” 

Loki grinned at Tony’s enthusiasm. It always felt good to see Tony happy. “Let me get dressed.” 

“I’ll make breakfast for you,” Tony said. “Coffee and I’m going to warm up some of the streusel that’s in there,” he explained before Loki could get any ideas. Loki kissed his cheek in reply, leaving Tony standing there like a grinning idiot as he left. 

 

There were dozens of cats in the animal shelter, but one captured Loki’s attention immediately. 

Alone, a small black cat sat huddled in the back of the cage, its yellow eyes watching Loki. 

Tony saw Loki’s expression from two cages down and knew before he’d even seen the cat. “That’s the one, huh?” He asked, glancing in as he walked up. The cat’s eyes immediately darted to him. “Seems a little shy, Lokes.” 

“She’ll adjust,” Loki said with confidence. 

Tony glanced at the sign. It said that she was a year old. “Trixie,” Tony said, reading the name that’d been written in puffy pink letters. “We could call her Tricks. That’d be cute.” 

Loki looked back to Tony, seeking approval. “Do you want to see if they’ll let us take her out first? To see if it's a good fit?” 

“Sure,” Tony said, but he already knew the answer. 

 

They were lead to a small room where the cat was gently placed down on the floor. She took uncertain steps, blinking up at them before Loki extended his hand. She smelled it. Feeling bold, Loki carefully picked her up. 

She closed her eyes as he scratched under her chin. Then, a faint purr floated up towards them. 

Tony found himself smiling. Loki set her down on the bench. She took a few steps between them before crawling into Tony’s lap and lying down. He waited a moment before stroking his fingers over her soft fur. 

Man. How many times as a kid had he wanted a pet like this? 

“This is the one,” Tony declared. 

“Let’s go sign Tricks’ adoption papers,” Loki replied, expression soft as he tried out the name. 

 

When they got home, it took the cat no time at all to begin scaling the system that Tony had built for her. As Loki watched her run the perimeter while Tony started an oversized cat condominium, he knew the cat had been a good idea. When Tony looked up from his work, he caught Loki watching. “What’s up, babe?” 

“Just making sure that you keep the kitchen off limits,” Loki said. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Tony set down his screwdriver. “Are you going to help, or are you just going to watch?” 

Loki sighed, taking a dramatic step towards Tony. “Only since you’re so pitiful,” he announced. 

“Hold the plywood in place,” Tony said, ignoring his sass. 

Tricks leapt down from the ledge and onto the back of the couch, running with her tail puffed up before sprinting across the room and pouncing on a catnip mouse.

“You know,” Loki said, adjusting the board as Tony directed, “it’s only going to be a matter of time before she runs this place.” 

“She already does,” Tony said. 

“That’s on you,” Loki said. “You built her a palace.” 

“I’m not the one that bought her a dozen catnip mice,” Tony said. Loki rolled his eyes even though he knew that Tony was right. Tricks sprinted across the room again, tossing her mouse into the air and chasing after it repeatedly. 

“I’m starting to get the impression that she’s aptly named,” Tony answered. 

Loki laughed. “Probably,” he agreed. 

They worked together for a while longer before they were finished. Loki was about to go in the kitchen and start a late lunch when Tony grabbed his hand. The fond gaze in his husband’s eyes rendered Loki speechless for a moment. Tony didn’t have anything to say but the words he’d gotten so good at because of Loki. He leaned in to steal a kiss, his lips warm and tender against Loki’s. 

Loki wrapped his arms around Tony, eagerly kissing him back as he combed his fingers through Tony’s hair. 

He’d never stop being amazed at how far they’d come, or stop dreaming of how wonderfully far they could go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has meant a lot to me to write this series over the years and it's bittersweet to come to the end. No matter when you finish reading it, it would mean a lot to me to hear back on what you thought! What you liked, or what stands out, or something memorable or your favorite is always helpful. Thank you for reading along, it's been fun to share with you! :)


End file.
